Guinea-Bissau, one of West Africa’s politically fragile nations, has once again plunged into turmoil after the military announced late Wednesday that it had taken control of the country. The intervention came just a day before the official presidential election results were expected, pushing the nation into deep uncertainty.
In a statement broadcast on state television, military spokesperson Diniz N’Chama said President Umaro Sissoco Embaló had been removed from office, the electoral process suspended, border points closed, and a nationwide curfew imposed.
Shortly after the announcement, Embaló told France 24 that he had been ousted, though it remained unclear whether he had been formally detained. Citing two security sources, Reuters reported that Embaló was being held inside the office compound of the army chief.
Fernando Dias, Embaló’s main challenger in the presidential race, later released a video message saying he was safe. He claimed the military attempted to detain him, but he had been moved to a secure location.
Dias also said former Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira, who lost to Embaló in the 2019 election, had been taken into custody. The military defended its actions by alleging that certain political figures, in coordination with Chinese and other foreign drug traffickers, were involved in attempts to destabilize the country and manipulate election results.
Hours before the coup announcement, eyewitnesses in the capital Bissau reported about an hour of gunfire near the electoral commission, the presidential palace, and the interior ministry. No details regarding casualties have been released.
International Concerns and Long History of Instability
The electoral commission had planned to publish provisional results on Thursday. After Sunday’s vote, both Embaló and Dias claimed victory, each asserting a first-round win. Had Embaló secured a second term, he would have become the first president in nearly three decades to be re-elected. With the military’s intervention, the entire electoral process has been halted, raising concerns about the country’s political direction.
The African Union (AU) and the regional bloc ECOWAS issued a joint statement expressing deep concern, calling for the immediate release of detained officials and urging a swift return to constitutional order. Portugal, Guinea-Bissau’s former colonial ruler, also called for the restoration of normal state functions and the continuation of vote counting.
Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced at least nine coups or attempted coups. Embaló has previously claimed that three attempts were made against him during his term.
The country is widely known as a transit point for international drug trafficking, and several external reports indicate that cocaine smuggling expanded under Embaló’s rule. Last year, authorities seized 2.63 metric tons of cocaine from a plane arriving from Venezuela, drawing international attention.
Following the military’s latest move, the nation of about two million people has again entered a period of political uncertainty. It remains unclear whether the military has full control across the country, but analysts warn that Guinea-Bissau may face an extended phase of instability.
