Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República de Guinea Ecuatorial ) (1968 – present)
Heads of State of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea
History
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea attained independence from Spanish colonial rule on October 12 1968. Under the 1968 constitution, the new state was established as a presidential republic, with a popularly-elected president acting as both head of state and head of government and a bicameral legislature. However, these institutions had barely been established when the first president of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Macías Nguema, began to rule as a de facto dictator who would become infamous for his cruelty. Macías seizure of power was formalized in the 1973 constitution, which made him president for life and granted him absolute power.
This regime was overthrown in a military coup led by Macias’ nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, on August 3 1979. The now-former president was captured two weeks later while attempting to flee to Cameroon and was subsequently executed. After three years of military rule, a new constitution came into effect on September 15 1982, making Obiang president for a seven-year term and on paper introducing democratic elements and liberal economic reforms. In practice, however, this constitution still allowed the president to rule by decree, and opposition political parties remained effectively banned.
A new constitution was introduced in 1991, and later amended in 1995 and 2011. The 2011 amendments, approved in a referendum with 97% of voters in favor, allowed Obiang to continue running for seven-year presidential terms and created the office of vice president, to be appointed by the president (one of the two vice presidents is currently Obiang’s son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue).
List of Heads of State of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea
List of Presidents of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Presidente de la República de Guinea Ecuatoria) (1968 – 1979)
Leader
Political Party
Dates
Francisco Macías Nguema
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 1 1924; d. September 29 1979.
Popular Idea of Equatorial Guinea (1968 – 1970); United National Workers’ Party (1970 – 1979)
October 12 1968 – August 3 1979
List of Chairs of the Revolutionary Military Council (Presidente del Consejo Militar Revolucionario) (1979)
Leader
Political Party
Dates
Mayor General Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 5 1942.
Independent
August 3 1979 – August 25 1979
List of Chairs of the Supreme Military Council (Presidente del Consejo Militar Supremo) (1979 – 1982)
Leader
Political Party
Dates
Mayor General Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 5 1942.
Independent
August 25 1979 – October 12 1982
List of Presidents of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Presidente de la República de Guinea Ecuatoria) (1982 – present)
Leader
Political Party
Dates
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 5 1942.
Independent (1979 – 1987); Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (1987 – present)
October 12 1982 – present