The Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has joined the many voices repudiating the death of Elvino Dias, legal advisor to presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, and the national representative of the Povo Optimista para o Desenvolvimento de Moçambique (PODEMOS) party, Paulo Guambe, in the early hours of Saturday (19)..

In a note from the Portuguese Presidency, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed his concern about the situation in Mozambique following the murder of Paulo Guambe and lawyer Elvino Dias.

"The Portuguese head of state joins the government in condemning yesterday's murders [Friday] and in expressing his concern about the current situation in Mozambique," says a note published on the website of the Presidency of the Republic.

"Portugal condemns outright the murders of PODEMOS leader Paulo Guambe and lawyer Elvino Dias," reads the message published on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

According to the same publication, the Mozambican people legitimately exercised their right to vote. Therefore, "living up to their civic maturity implies guaranteeing the peaceful and orderly nature of the subsequent process".

Elvino Dias, a lawyer for presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, and Paulo Guambe, a member of PODEMOS, the party that supports him, were killed at dawn on Saturday in the center of Maputo by unknown individuals who shot at the car they were following.

(Photo DR)