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Ex-DRC President Kabila Calls U.S. Sanctions 'Unjustified'
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Ex-DRC President Kabila Calls U.S. Sanctions 'Unjustified'

From ABC Color · (17m ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has denounced U.S. sanctions against him as 'unjustified' and politically motivated.
  • The U.S. imposed sanctions, accusing Kabila of providing material support to armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
  • Kabila defended his presidential legacy, citing efforts towards national reunification and stabilization, while criticizing the current Congolese government for corruption and repression.

Former President Joseph Kabila has vehemently rejected the sanctions imposed by the United States, labeling them as 'unjustified' and politically driven. The U.S. accusation that Kabila supports armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is met with strong denial from his office, which asserts that his tenure was dedicated to national unity, peace, and regional stability. This move by the U.S. is seen by Kabila's supporters as an attempt to undermine his legacy and potentially embolden the current government's actions.

Kabila's statement emphasizes his administration's efforts to end a devastating regional war and bring about reconciliation. He argues that the sanctions risk being perceived as a 'blank check' for authoritarianism and a tool to silence dissent against corruption and state predation. This perspective frames the U.S. action not as a measure against illicit support for armed groups, but as interference that could encourage repression within the DRC.

Kabila ha recibido con asombro la decisión adoptada por el Gobierno de Estados Unidos contra su persona, una decisión que considera profundamente injustificada, motivada políticamente y basada en acusaciones sin fundamento

— Office of Joseph KabilaResponding to the U.S. sanctions.

The former president's criticism extends to the current Congolese government, which he accuses of replacing the state with a 'clan' and using security pretexts to eliminate opposition voices. This sharp critique highlights the deep political divisions and mistrust within the DRC. Kabila's own legal troubles, including a death sentence for treason related to alleged support for the M23 rebel group, add a complex layer to this narrative. His return to the DRC and engagement in efforts to resolve the eastern crisis suggest a continued, albeit controversial, role in the country's political landscape, making the U.S. sanctions a significant development in this ongoing saga.

Esta decisión corre el riesgo de ser percibida (...) como una muestra de apoyo a la dictadura y la tiranía, un cheque en blanco para el aplastamiento de toda voz que se alce contra la corrupción, la depredación y la confiscación del Estado

— Office of Joseph KabilaCriticizing the potential implications of the U.S. sanctions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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