Guinea-Bissau was thrown into political turmoil on Wednesday as military officers announced they had seized “total control” of the West African nation, arresting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira just three days after general elections.
Heavy gunfire erupted near the presidential palace in the early hours, as uniformed soldiers took control of the main roads leading to government buildings. By early afternoon, General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, told journalists that a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces” was assuming control of the country “until further notice.”
President Embalo, who was widely expected to secure re-election in Sunday’s polls, was detained along with the chief of staff and the interior minister. Military sources assured that he was being “well-treated” at the general-staff headquarters. Pereira, barred from running by the Supreme Court and supporter of opposition candidate Fernando Dias, was also arrested, according to sources close to him.
General N’Canha justified the coup by claiming the military had uncovered a plan to destabilize the country, allegedly involving national drug lords and the smuggling of weapons intended to undermine the constitutional order. In response, the military suspended all media programming, closed land, air, and sea borders, and imposed a curfew. By evening, the normally bustling streets of Bissau were deserted, with soldiers controlling key thoroughfares.
Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, has a long history of political instability, including four successful coups since independence from Portugal in 1974. The nation has also become a key transit hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe.
The country’s National Electoral Commission was reportedly attacked by unidentified armed men on Wednesday. Observation missions from the African Union, ECOWAS, and the West African Elders Forum condemned the actions as a “blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process.” Over 6,700 security personnel had been deployed for the elections and post-election period, including the ECOWAS Stabilisation Force.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed “deep concern” and urged all parties to exercise restraint and respect the rule of law. Portugal, Guinea-Bissau’s former colonial ruler, also called for the electoral process to resume and condemned any acts of violence.
The political crisis follows a controversial election in which the main opposition party, PAIGC, and its leader Pereira were excluded from the ballot. Embalo, who has ruled by decree since dissolving the legislature in 2023, claimed victory in the polls, though provisional results are pending.
The coup in Guinea-Bissau adds to a troubling trend in West Africa, where countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea have experienced military takeovers in recent years.
Tags: Guinea-Bissau, Coup, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, Domingos Simoes Pereira, West Africa, Political Crisis
