In a column published on the social network Former defender of a sovereignist project in Senegal, Branco expresses his disenchantment with what he perceives as a betrayal of the ideals held by this duo, in particular because of their displayed proximity to France.
Branco is outraged by recent events marking the commemoration of the Thiaroye massacre, where he deplores an ostentatious presence of French dignitaries. “I saw, at the commemoration of the Thiaroye massacre, white bodies in groups […] invited to the Radisson Blu on the orders and at the expense of the Prime Minister’s Office”he writes. He accuses the Senegalese authorities of having offered a platform to representatives of an oppressive colonial past, resuscitating, according to him, the mechanisms of enslavement under the guise of repentance.
The inauguration ceremony of the new president Bassirou Diomaye Faye had already, according to Branco, set the tone. He denounces the presence of French officials whom he associates with the perpetuation of Françafrique, criticizing a rapprochement which he considers contradictory with the sovereignist promises of the new power.
An indictment against the monetary system and dependence
The lawyer also returns to the broken promises concerning the economic sovereignty of Senegal, in particular the abolition of the CFA franc. He deplores that figures who served within the BCEAO, whom he describes as« institution coloniale »continue to occupy key positions under the new regime. For him, this inertia illustrates a persistent submission to logics inherited from the colonial era.
Memory betrayed, sovereignty flouted
Juan Branco talks at length about the massacre of the Senegalese riflemen, which he considers to be a symbolic point of rupture between Africa and France. “The corpses of these riflemen formed this sentence to the attention of the African people: these beings lie. We must no longer believe them, listen to them, but fight them and free ourselves from them. » He believes that the French presence during the commemorations represents an insult to the memory of the victims.
For him, the invitation of French officials to these ceremonies demonstrates a moral and political capitulation. “To seek recognition and reparation from France, eighty years later, is to betray their memory”he declares.
A journey marked by commitment
Juan Branco also recalls his own commitment to the Senegalese cause. He talks about his arrest in Mauritania, his extradition to Senegal and his imprisonment in Rebeuss prison, where he shared the daily life of political prisoners. These episodes, he says, reinforced his attachment to the fight for Senegalese sovereignty.
In this column, the lawyer concludes with a message of hope, calling on Senegalese leaders not to forget the sacrifices made by their predecessors and the battles waged for true independence. “The blood of our fathers binds us”he asserts, while expressing his regret at the decisions taken by those he had defended with so much fervor.
Difficult context for Juan Branco
Currently, Juan Branco asserts himself as a resolute opponent of French President Emmanuel Macron, multiplying critical publications against him on social networks. He also mentions, in an allusive manner, a possible candidacy for the French presidential election scheduled for 2027. Furthermore, the lawyer faces a threat of removal from the bar, as a result of serious accusations brought against him.
