Equatorial Guinea Obiang Mangue, and other close relatives with powerful positions in the security forces. The tension may be rooted in a power shift arising from the dramatic increase in oil production which has occurred since 1997. In 2004 a plane load of suspected mercenaries was intercepted in Zimbabwe while allegedly on the way to overthrow Obiang. A November 2004 report named Mark Thatcher as a financial backer of the 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt organized by Simon Mann. Various accounts also named the United Kingdom's MI6, the United States' CIA, and Spain as tacit supporters of the coup attempt. Nevertheless,
Corruption in Equatorial Guinea riches of our nations into sustainable economic development for all, it is unfortunate to see the CAF and other institutions acting in complicity with the government of Equatorial Guinea to entrench corruption and bad governance," he said. Although U.S. law prohibits foreign official found to be involved in corruption and their families from receiving visas, U.S. State Department officials told the "New York Times" in 2009 that Equatorial Guinea's close relationship with the American oil industry led to lax enforcement of the law in Teodorin's case. John Bennett, former U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, stated that U.S. authorities had "turned