The United States ambassador to Malawi was caught up in political unrest as police fired tear gas while she met with an opposition leader on Thursday, while police acknowledged some of the gas wafted into the U.S. embassy nearby.
Departing Ambassador Virginia Palmer was meeting in the capital, Lilongwe, with Lazarus Chakwera at his party headquarters a short walk from the embassy. Lazarus Chakwera finished a close second in last month’s presidential election and has gone to court to challenge the results , and his Malawi Congress Party supporters have been holding protests.
A U.S. Embassy spokesman confirmed the meeting and told the Malawi Press that “as for the tear gas, we are monitoring the situation.” The embassy did not immediately comment to the Maravi Post.
