Long-ruling head of state dies
President Lansana Conte, who ruled the African nation of Guinea with an iron hand since seizing power in a 1984 coup, has died after a lengthy illness, the National Assembly president said today.
Aboubacar Sompare, flanked by the country’s prime minister and the head of the army, said on state-run television that Conte died Monday evening. He was believed to be in his 70s.
According to the constitution, the head of the National Assembly becomes president if the head of state dies. But transfers of power have rarely been smooth in Guinea.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
