World Tour: Coup leader wins presidency in Gabon

LINDSAY MAST, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It:

World Tour, with our reporter in Africa, Onize Oduah.

SOUND: Rejoicing crowds

Gabon election — Today’s World Tour begins in the Central African nation of Gabon, where a coup leader clinched a landslide victory in a presidential vote.

Brice Oligui Nguema scored just over 90% of the votes. His closest rival won 3%.

Nguema acted as interim leader after leading a 2023 coup as commander of the elite Republican Guard. He overthrew President Ali Bongo, ending his family’s more than five-decade grip on power.

ALI BONGO: [FRENCH]: Let us be builders, builders of peace and justice. May God bless you, may God bless Gabon. Thank you for this great victory.

He urged his supporters to join him in building peace and justice in the country.

Nguema’s victory now gives him a seven-year mandate to rule. During his campaign, he pledged to end corruption and diversify the oil-dependent economy.

Ecuador vote — Still on elections, we head next to Ecuador, where cheering supporters welcomed President Daniel Noboa’s reelection victory.

Noboa emerged with nearly 56% of the votes. His contender Luisa Gonzalez scored 44%. She has asked for a recount. Noboa says there’s no need.

LUISA GONZALEZ: [SPANISH] There is no doubt who is the winner, and that has been based on the perseverance, struggle, and work of each of the members of this team, of this team that seeks this new Ecuador.

He thanked his team for their perseverance and hard work in the lead-up to his victory.

Now 37, Noboa first assumed office after a snap election in 2023. His weekend victory now gives him a full four-year term in office.

He gained popularity over his hard stance against organized crime groups and drug cartels. His earlier efforts include deploying the military to the streets, and also seeking support from foreign military to support the local troops.

Spain-Moroccans — Over in Spain, authorities have dismantled a criminal network that smuggled as many as twenty five hundred (2,500) Moroccans into the country.

The Spanish Civil Guard said the group first flew the migrants into Romania, then transported them by vans and trucks. The smuggling ring likely completed about 50 trips in the last two years.

Ana Arias is the civil guard’s spokeswoman.

ANA ARIAS: [SPANISH] Each victim was charged up to €3,000 for each journey.

She says each victim paid about 3,000 euros for the trip.

SOUND: Marching band

Dutch Flower Parade — We close today in the Netherlands, where a colorful parade of decorated flowers on moving floats marks the start of spring.

Crowds gathered to witness the 78th running of the annual Bloemencorso Bollenstreek parade. The parade covers 26 miles from Noordwijk to the city of Haarlem.

Méryll Marin was one of several spectators who attended the parade.

Méryll Marin: [DUTCH] We walked along the road to see all the floats and flowers, all the colours... It's very impressive.

She says she walked along the roadside to view several of the floats and to take in all of the colors.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Oduah in Abuja, Nigeria.

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