A former general who seized power in a coup, ruling the Central African Republic with an iron fist, marked by human rights abuses and corruption. He was ousted in 2013 after a decade in power.
Franois Boziz Yangouvonda, born on October 14, 1946, is a Central African politician who served as the President of the Central African Republic from 2003 to 2013. He is known for his tumultuous rise to power, marked by coups, rebellions, and a controversial leadership style.
Boziz was born in Gabon and attended a military officers' training college in the Central African province of Bouar. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a second lieutenant in 1969 and a captain in 1975. In 1978, he was appointed Brigadier General by Emperor Bokassa I, Jean-Bdel Bokassa.
In the 1980s, Boziz served in the government as Minister of Defense and Minister of Information under President Andr Kolingba. However, he participated in a failed 1982 coup attempt against Kolingba and subsequently fled the country. Years later, he served as Army Chief of Staff under President Ange-Flix Patass, but began a rebellion against Patass in 2001.
Boziz's forces captured the capital, Bangui, in March 2003, while Patass was outside the country, and Boziz took power, ushering in a transitional period of government. He won the March-May 2005 presidential election in a second round of voting, and was reelected in the January 2011 presidential election, winning the vote in the first round.
In December 2012, the CAR was plunged into an uprising by rebel forces who condemned the Boziz government for not honoring peace agreements after the Central African Republic Bush War in 2007. On March 24, 2013, Boziz fled to Cameroon via the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the rebel forces attacked Bangui and took control of the presidential palace.
An international arrest warrant was issued against Boziz by the Central African Republic on May 29, 2013. He was accused of human rights abuses, corruption, and mismanagement of the country's resources.
Boziz's legacy is marked by controversy and turmoil. His rise to power was marked by violence and instability, and his leadership was characterized by human rights abuses and corruption. Despite this, he remains a significant figure in Central African politics, and his legacy continues to shape the region's history.
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