Mozambique’s ruling party, the Frente de Libertaçao de Moçambique (FRELIMO), has banned demonstrations after three weeks of nationwide protests that turned into the largest movement against it in nearly a half -century of reign since the independence of Portugal.

The protests were met with a violent police response, leaving around fifty people dead, hundreds injured and thousands illegally detained. This also includes the apparently targeted assassinations of two leaders of the opposition party, the recently formed PODEMOS party. The wave of unrest follows last month’s controversial presidential election, which saw FRELIMO claim victory amid widespread allegations of irregularities and electoral fraud.

Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda, who oversaw the savage repression, banned protests and shut down social media, denounced the demonstrations as “acts of terrorism.” Neighboring South Africa, ruled by the African National Congress (ANC) for three decades, is terrified that protests could spill over its borders. It closed its main land border with Mozambique when protesters tried to cross into South Africa, with South African police firing rubber bullets to stop them.

Protests broke out in Mozambique after the results of the presidential election on October 24, declaring the victory of FRELIMO candidate Daniel Chapo. The main opposition candidate, Venâncio Mondlane of PODEMOS, denounced the results as fraudulent and called for protests.

According to the official vote count, Chapo won a landslide victory with just over 70 percent of the vote, Mondlane with 20 percent and 57 percent abstentions. Election observers, including the European Union and the International Republican Institute, linked to the American Republican Party, denounced multiple irregularities during the vote: delays in the payment of electoral funds to opposition parties, obstruction of voting observers and unusually high number of registered voters in areas expected to vote. FRELIMO. The PODEMOS party claimed to have won the presidency and the legislature.

There is immense social anger in Mozambique, driven by persistent poverty, inequality, police violence and corruption. The number of people living below the poverty line has increased significantly over the past decade, reaching more than half of the population. From 46 percent in 2015, the country now has more than 65 percent of the population unable to purchase food and non-food items that meet basic individual or family needs.