Dívidas ocultas

The country is currently gripped by a trial of the protagonists in the hidden debts (dívidas ocultas) case. This involved the loss of 2 billion US dollars of state funds through a series of loans taken out by high-ranking leaders and involving the collusion of international bankers and businesspeople. It is alleged this was done to cover up a vast corruption network.

I know someone whose job in a company has been put immediately at risk as the company was founded by one of the people on trial, and his operations have been suspended. My friend is one of many people directly affected, along with the 30 million Mozambicans who have been deprived of funding for their country and services. Someone calculated that if the money hadn’t been drained from state coffers it would be worth 60,000 dollars per citizen. This is rightly causing outrage in a country where the minimum wage for certain professions is around 100 dollars per month.

I read my Mozambique travel book for inspiration about where I could explore when I have time off. With a bowl of dates and yogurt after another day mulling over heavy themes it was a nice dose of escapism at the end of the evening.