In an interview with France 24, Charles Blé Goudé, former youth minister of Laurent Gbagbo, acquitted at first instance of crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC), affirms his wish to return to Côte d'Ivoire, after the decision of the judges in The Hague on May 28 to relax his parole, as well as that of the former Ivorian president, pending their appeal trial. He explains that he "has not yet" made an official request to this effect to the Ivorian authorities, but has taken steps through various channels. He assured "reach out" to President Alassane Ouattara, stressing that such a gesture would be a strong symbol of reconciliation.

"I intend to go home and I think that all this is discussed, given the contacts that I am making, we will discuss. If it succeeds, so much the better, if it did not succeed, we will always continue to talk" , he says. "Making peace after a crisis as deep as the one our country has known does not happen with a magic stick. Surely there must be a little will and mine exists. I reach out to President Alassane Ouattara and his entire team. "

Monday, the collective of victims of Côte d'Ivoire (CVCI), association of victims of the post-electoral crisis of 2010-2011 who killed 3,000, expressed its "energetic opposition" to the returns of the former president Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé in Côte d'Ivoire.

Charles Blé Goudé says he is confident that the conviction in December 2019 of twenty years in prison, of which he is the subject in Côte d'Ivoire, for "murder, acts of torture and rape" can be set aside in the context of negotiations with the power, recalling that the current president Alassane Ouattara was himself the subject of lawsuits in his time, before being able to return to the country. He also refuses to comment on the accusations of former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, according to whom the ruling power uses legal procedures to dismiss all of its opponents in the next presidential election, claiming that it is not " a commentator. "

In early November 2019, the Ivorian justice system also sentenced Laurent Gbagbo on appeal in absentia to twenty years in prison for the "robbery" of the Central Bank of West African States during the post-electoral crisis.

"Carry the voice of the Ivorians"

The former Minister of Youth says, moreover, not to have spoken with Laurent Gbagbo since the judges' decision on their parole and adds that it is for the former president to say whether he wishes, or not presidential candidate scheduled for October. While affirming to be faithful to him and not to consider an application himself, he adds that he "will not hesitate" if necessary. He announced that he had been in recent contact with the former first lady Simone Gbagbo, a "valuable" person, whom he considers capable of being a candidate for supreme office if she has the will. "Simone Gbagbo is a lady for whom I have a lot of admiration and who for me is a chance for Côte d'Ivoire and for Africa," he said.

Finally, the former head of the Young Patriots movement announces the creation of a new coalition on June 13 with various actors from Ivorian civil society, "in order to carry the voice of the Ivorians". He says he was not asked to be part of the alliance that is formed between the Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI) of Laurent Gbagbo and the PDCI of Henry Konan Bédié.

>> See our return ticket: "In Côte d'Ivoire, Bouaké" the rebel "wants to look to the future"

The France 24 week summary invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_FR