“Rambo” Rabuka, the former coup plotter who is again Prime Minister of Fiji

Sitiveni Rabukaknown as “Rambo“, a former military commander who led the 1987 coup and then served as prime minister from 1992 to 1999, returned to that position in fijiafter being elected by parliament by secret ballot with only one vote advantage, 28 to 27, over his rival, the outgoing prime minister Frank Bainimarama.

The 74-year-old man was sworn in before the Pacific archipelago’s parliament and his supporters greeted him outside with a concert of car horns. His rival Bainimarama accepted defeat, commenting: “This is democracy”.

Rabuka was congratulated by the Prime Minister of New ZelandJacinda Ardern, who described neighboring Fiji as a “brother friend and partner” with whom there are “shared priorities” in the region.

Indeed, Rabuka promised get away from the Chinese administration on the most populous and prosperous island state of Oceania, which arose under Banimarama, in favor of the traditional allies of the region: Australia and New Zealand.

Rabuka, leader of the People’s Alliance, and who will lead the country for the next four years, was sworn in together with his new ministers before the President of Fiji, Ratu Williame Katonivere, in a session this Saturday attended by senior representatives of Power Executive, Legislative and Judicial.

Rabuka’s nomination and ratification put an end to ten days of tension and uncertainty after some eventful elections on December 14, which gave victory to the First Government of Fiji, with 26 seats, but which was matched by the union between the opponents Alianza Popolare, with 21 seats, and the National Federation, with 5.

Rabuka’s investiture marks the end of a 16-year era of Bainimarama in power, which he has held since the uprising he led in 2006 and who later managed to remain prime minister after winning elections in 2014 and 2018 at the helm of the Fiji First party.

The December 14 elections were marked by allegations of fraud and friction between candidates after the Electoral Commission temporarily suspended vote counting due to a technical failure in the application of election results.

Amid escalating tensions over the past week, the military and police have tightened security after receiving reports of undetailed “civil unrest plans”, which have raised suspicions among some sectors of Fiji’s population, which has a long history of coups.

Fiji, with a population of over 900,000, It is considered a key nation in the pulse between China and the United States for influence in the South Pacific area and has been instrumental in the region’s response to growing competition between the two powers.

In the past, Rabuka has reiterated on several occasions that he favors Western-style democracy.

The current Prime Minister will also face other challenges, such as the climate crisis, the drop in tourism following the covid-19 pandemic or ethnic rivalries in the country, marked by tensions between the Fijian-Melanesian community and the Indian one originating from its independence from the United Kingdom in 1970.