“Welcome to Mozambique”, and other jokes

Good afternoon. “A Brazilian, a Portuguese and an Angolan walk into an airport” sounds like the beginning of a joke, and it may well become one soon, after three such people were turned back at Maputo airport on Sunday, when trying to enter Mozambique. Probably the best-known among them was Gilmário Vemba, the Angolan comedian based in Portugal, whose TV shows are enjoyed in both Portugal and Mozambique. He was accompanied by two other comedians, Portuguese Hugo Sousa and Brazilian Murilo Couto.

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From the Zitamar Live Blog:

Zitamar Mozambique Live Blog

Opposition politician Venâncio Mondlane is facing five charges from the Public Prosecutor’s Office related to the post-election protests between October and March. The charges include public advocacy of crime, incitement to collective disobedience, public instigation to crime, instigation to terrorism, and incitement to terrorism. Mondlane appeared at the Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) for the third time this morning to receive the formal accusation, which will be forwarded to the Maputo City Judicial Court. Speaking to the media afterwards, Mondlane said that the PGR upheld his existing bail conditions, which require him to stay at a given address and to check in with the authorities on a regular basis. He said he would release the charge sheet publicly within 48 hours. Mondlane accused the PGR of being weaponized for political persecution against him. He also claimed that President Daniel Chapo failed to honour agreements reached during two meetings between the two men.

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According to Zainedine Danane, director-general of the National Migration Service, the comedians were denied entry because they were travelling on tourist visas, but were in the country to put on a comedy show and charge money for it, which required a different visa. As this newsletter pointed out yesterday, that is not a convincing explanation, since Portuguese and Brazilian citizens can apply for a visa on arrival, and Angolans do not need a visa at all to enter the country. Vemba has pointed out that he has performed in Mozambique in the past, including last year, without any problem.