World Tour: The DRC foils a coup attempt

LINDSAY MAST, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere

AUDIO: Felix, you’re out, we’re coming for you.

DRC failed coup — Today’s roundup starts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the army said it foiled an attempted coup early on Sunday.

Authorities said armed men attacked the home of a local politician and also attempted to attack the presidential palace.

Brigadier General Sylvain Ekenge is the spokesman for the Congolese army.

EKENGE: [Speaking French]

He says here that the attempted coup included Congolese and foreigners.

At least six people died in the shootout. They include Christian Malanga, a U.S.-based Congolese politician who led the coup. Marcel, Malanga’s 21-year-old-son, and another American were among the dozens arrested.

MALANGA: [Speaking French]

In a video posted on Facebook before his death, Christian Malanga is flanked by other men in military fatigues as he says they’re tired of the current leadership.

President Felix Tshisekedi was reelected to office in December, but internal party squabbles have kept lawmakers from forming a new government.

AUDIO: [Arrival of Taiwan’s president and his wife]

Taiwan inauguration — Over in Taiwan, thousands of people gathered outside the presidential office in Taipei as Lai Ching-te assumed office as the island’s new president.

AUDIO: [Singing]

He replaces former President Tsai Ing-wen, who spent eight years in office. Lai previously served as vice president under his predecessor.

During his inaugural speech, Lai called for peace in the region.

LAI: [Speaking Mandarin]

He’s calling on China to cease political and military intimidation against Taiwan.

China warned in response that any effort supporting Taiwan’s independence threatens international order.

Delegates from the United States and other nations with diplomatic ties with Taiwan also attended the ceremony.

AUDIO: [Cheering]

Dominican Republic — In the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader landed a second term in a Sunday vote after his leading contenders conceded.

Abinader scored nearly 60 percent of the votes. Voters supported his tough stance against migrants fleeing Haiti.

Abinader built a concrete wall along the border with Haiti after assuming office in 2020. His administration deported more than 250,000 migrants last year.

He also promised to implement anti-corruption measures if re-elected.

ABINADER: [Speaking Spanish]

He says here that he will continue to execute the change he promised four years ago.

AUDIO: [Cheers]

Spain far-right rally — We end today in Spain where Europe’s far-right parties wrapped up a summit.

Spain’s Vox party organized the event ahead of the European Union’s parliamentary election next month.

Argentinian President Javier Milei attended the summit. He criticized socialism as an intellectual fraud.

MILEI: [Speaking Spanish]

He encouraged other far-right lawmakers, saying they might be few, but their success does not rely on their numbers.

French politician Marine Le Pen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also attended the meeting while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a video address.

That’s it for today’s WORLD Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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