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,
Equatorial Guinea–Spain relations relations with Equatorial Guinea due to repression by President Nguema and his verbal attacks against the Spanish government. By 1978, Spain was prepared to send troops to the nation to intervene and evacuate its citizens if they were particularly targeted by President Nguema. In August 1979, a coup d'état was led by Lieutenant Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the nephew of President Nguema. That same month, Lieutenant Obiang formerly asked the Spanish government for military assistant, however, it was refused. That same month, President Nguema was captured by opposition forces and executed. Lieutenant Obiang became the second President of Equatorial Guinea.