atorial ▁Guinea ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁settled ▁in ▁Spain , ▁where ▁he ▁remained ▁active ▁as ▁an ▁opposition ▁leader ▁in ▁ex ile . ▁ ▁Return ing ▁home ▁as ▁an ▁opposition ▁leader , ▁M oto ▁was ▁imprison ed ▁at ▁Mal ab o ' s ▁rev iled ▁Black ▁Beach ▁prison , ▁but ▁later ▁released ▁and ▁allowed ▁to ▁go ▁back ▁into ▁ex ile . ▁He ▁claims ▁to ▁have ▁won ▁several ▁elections ▁in ▁Equ atorial ▁Guinea . ▁He ▁was ▁reported ly ▁on ▁good ▁terms ▁with ▁José ▁María ▁A zn ar , ▁who ▁was ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Spain ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Due ▁to ▁this ▁and ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁the ▁main ▁cont ender ▁to ▁become ▁president ▁after ▁a ▁coup , ▁he ▁was ▁accused ▁by ▁Equ atorial ▁Guinea ▁of ▁being ▁the ▁inst ig ator ▁of ▁the ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁attempt ▁led ▁by ▁Simon ▁Mann ▁and ▁Nick ▁du ▁To it , ▁and ▁tried ▁in ▁absent ia . ▁He ▁disappeared ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁time ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁only ▁to ▁re app ear ▁un har med . ▁He ▁claimed ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁hit men ▁had ▁taken ▁him ▁out ▁on ▁a ▁y acht ▁in ▁Dub rov nik , ▁Cro atia , ▁only ▁to ▁let ▁him ▁go ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁fellow ▁Roman ▁Catholic . ▁ ▁In ▁Spain ▁On ▁December ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government ▁lifted ▁his ▁political ▁as yl um . ▁M oto ▁stated ▁that ▁before ▁being