Brasília – After 18 days of protest against the government of Egypt, the country president, Hosni Mubarak, aged 82, resigned his post on Friday (11). He spent three decades in power. The decision was announced on national television.
After Mubarak’s announcement, the protesters at Tahrir Square, who became a kind of symbol of the protest in Egypt, celebrated, as did those in several other parts of the world. The protesters said they would intensify the movement in case Mubarak remained in office.
Egyptian authorities confirmed that Mubarak and his family left Cairo earlier today, heading for Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red Sea. The resort is 250 kilometres away from Cairo. Helicopters were seen leaving the presidential house this morning.
The transition government in Egypt should be run by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. On announcing that he is going to leave the government, the Egyptian vice president, Omar Suleiman, said that the transition process will be rapid. He, however, did not supply details of how transition to the democratic regime would take place.
In the morning, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces met, without Mubarak and Suleiman, and stated their support to the street protest against the government. However, the tone was neutral.
In recent days, the military have taken on a position closer to the protesters. Violence was avoided in the streets as were aggressions against the opposition.
The protesters want guarantees that the elections will be developed according to international recommendations. In September, there should be presidential elections in Egypt, when members of the National Constituent Assembly, to be responsible for changes in the Egyptian constitution, should also be chosen.
*Translated by Mark Ament
