Patrice Trovoada, Prime Minister of the West African island country of Sao Tome, revealed on Friday, November 25, that the military thwarted a coup attempt.
Trovoada told the press that four men, including outgoing National Assembly President Delfim Neves, who was among those apprehended, attempted to attack the army headquarters overnight.
According to a resident who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity, she heard “automatic and heavy weapons fire, as well as explosions, for two hours inside the army headquarters” in the country’s capital
Trovoada was seen sitting at a desk in a video clip, which was authenticated and handed to AFP by Sao Tome’s prime minister’s press office, stating that he wishes to “reassure the population” and “the international community.”
He said; “There was an attempted coup d’etat which began around 00:40 am and… ended shortly after 6 am. The armed forces were attacked in the barracks.
“The situation in the barracks is under control, but we must be sure that the country is completely under control.”
Following elections in September, in which Trovoada’s centre-right Independent Democratic Action (ADI) party won an absolute majority, Neves lost his post on November 11 when a new chamber was established.
