Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, has dismissed the newly imposed U.S. travel ban on his country as largely irrelevant, arguing that it will not affect the lives or priorities of most citizens.
Speaking on Tuesday via his official social media accounts, Mangue responded to the ban, stating, “The measure announced by U.S. President Donald Trump will have zero impact on our country because fewer than 50 Equatorial Guineans travel to the United States each year. The U.S. is not a key destination for our citizens.”
The proclamation, signed last week by President Trump, enforces a full travel ban on nationals from 12 countries, including Equatorial Guinea, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Chad, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, the Republic of the Congo, and Yemen. The White House cited national security concerns as the rationale behind the move, though the announcement has sparked widespread condemnation from international observers and human rights groups.
Vice President Mangue criticized the decision as politically motivated and out of alignment with Equatorial Guinea’s values. “Our country is committed to peace and global security. We maintain strong and cooperative relationships with many nations,” he said.
He also called on his fellow citizens to refrain from traveling to the United States in light of the ban. “Until there is a reversal of this misguided policy, I urge Equatoguineans to seek other destinations and wait for the U.S. to return to a stance that encourages unity and mutual respect,” Mangue added.
While the U.S. administration claims the policy is part of a broader effort to enhance domestic security, critics argue that the decision disproportionately targets countries with minimal migration flow to the United States and could harm diplomatic ties.
The Equatoguinean government has not issued an official diplomatic response beyond the Vice President’s remarks, but his comments suggest a firm stance against what it sees as an unnecessary and symbolic measure with no practical impact.