The international community will now understand where Maldivians stand after the ruling People's National Congress (PNC)'s consecutive victories in the presidential and parliamentary elections, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said on Monday night.
Speaking during a rally at the artificial beach in Male', Muizzu said Maldivians want to be free of foreign influence and to control how we will run our Maldivian state.
"To everyone outside of Maldives. To everyone in the international community. It must be clear now. That we want to decide our own matters by ourselves," he said.
The PNC's campaign strategy in the presidential election focused on the foreign policy of the previous government. At the time, Muizzu repeatedly claimed that India influenced internal affairs.
Even during the parliamentary election campaign, he continued accusing political rivals of not prioritising the national interest and conspiring with foreign parties. He described the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) as an enemy of the nation.
In his victory speech tonight, Muizzu said the international community will now see what Maldivians want.
"... [The way you are] will be clear to those with us trying to have a certain agenda," he said
The President said he and his team would use the majority in Parliament to fulfil the demands of the people and fulfil the pledges made by the government. He urged political rivals and people with different political views to commit to the patriotic spirit of the government.
Muizzu's key pledge, in line with his patriotic vision, is to ensure the removal of Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives to operate three aircraft donated by the Indian government.
He has also pledged to recover the territory lost to Mauritius in the Maldives' southern waters.
An agreement has been reached with India for the removal of soldiers by replacing them with technical staff to operate the two helicopters and Dornier aircraft.
However, the agreement has been classified. According to the government, it contains information related to national security.
