The former Minister of Youth of Laurent Gbagbo was acquitted in the spring of 2021 by the International Criminal Court of the crimes against humanity of which he was accused.
After more than ten years spent abroad, Charles Blé Goudé affirms in an interview with France 24 that it was President Alassane Ouattara himself who was responsible for granting it to him, by dispatching his chief of firm.
He adds that he has been in contact with the presidency in order to organize his return to the country in a "concerted" way and says he is confident that the 20-year prison sentence against him pronounced in Côte d'Ivoire at the end of 2019 will not be applied.
If he denies any agreement with Alassane Ouattara conditioning his return, Charles Blé Goudé does not exclude working with the current president of Côte d'Ivoire, while specifying that he will remain an opponent.
He explains that his mentor Laurent Gbagbo did not offer him to become a member of the party he launched in October after his return to the country.
While noting that their personal relationship is good – they spoke to each other after obtaining his passport – he castigates the entourage of the former president, whom he accuses of trying to create tension between them.
However, he says he is open to an alliance with Simone Gbagbo, who is preparing to launch his own political formation.
Charles Blé Goudé is in favor of limiting the age to be a candidate for the presidency to 75 years and of the presidential mandates.
He says he wants to be president but refuses to specify whether he will be a candidate in the next election scheduled for 2025, asking for time to find his country and his family after 11 years of exile.
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