Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau) – The African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) has strongly condemned Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Interior and Public Order, Botche Candé, accusing him of orchestrating widespread human rights violations, including abductions, kidnappings, beatings, and arbitrary detentions.

In a statement issued on January 29, 2025, the PAIGC alleged that Candé, acting through the Ministry of the Interior under his command, is among those most responsible for what they describe as the “permanent violation” of citizens’ rights. The party further criticized his failure to uphold democratic values and the rule of law.

The statement comes in response to Candé’s controversial claim on January 27, 2025, that Domingos Simões Pereira, the leader of the PAIGC, had once asked him to assassinate former President José Mário Vaz.

The PAIGC dismissed this allegation as a “ridiculous and low-level” attempt to tarnish Pereira’s image, accusing Candé, who is also the leader of the Guinean Workers’ Party (PTG), of engaging in a smear campaign against the PAIGC leader.

Denouncing what they termed Candé’s “recurring criminal posture,” the PAIGC reaffirmed its commitment to democracy, urging its militants and supporters to remain united in their struggle to restore democratic governance.

The party also called on the people of Guinea-Bissau to show resilience in the face of what it described as a “dictatorial and corrupt regime that has taken the country hostage.“