For the first time since her husband’s return to Côte d’Ivoire on June 17, the former lady speaks in a video posted on her social networks. Simone Gbagbo welcomes this return and asks for further support for reconciliation. Without ever referring to the divorce proceedings initiated by the former president.
It’s a video of just over six minutes. Sitting, dressed, Simone Gbagbo evokes for the first time her husband’s return: “a magnificent victory”, acquired “thanks to the help of the Lord”, she says. She thanks Alassane Ouattara for his agreement and then appeals, “so that he can continue to carry out these strong gratifications and reconciliations”. According to her, that is return to the land of Charles Blé Goudé and the last refugees, the release of prisoners from the post-election crisis detained, and those arrested during the last presidential election.
“All is well… “
Simone Gbagbo says she supports “the dream of a truly reconciled, developed, modernized nation”, outside of “ethnicities, religions or political persuasions”. “The time is up for prisons,” she assures, “so let us not allow for bitterness, resentment, pain, disappointment and anger.”
“You have to stay the course, your eyes fixed on the sight. Everything is fine, concludes the woman who is facing two pitfalls: divorce petition formulated by Laurent Gbagbo four days after she returned to the country, which she does not mention, and questions her status as first vice-president of the FPI, the party she founded by hiding with her husband in 1982 and within which it retains influence and popularity.
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