In a dramatic escalation of political tension in Guinea-Bissau, soldiers announced on state television on Wednesday that they had seized control of the government—just three days after the nation held contentious presidential elections.
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló confirmed to French media that he had been deposed and taken into custody, marking yet another chapter in the country’s long history of political instability.
Military spokesperson Dinis N’Tchama issued a statement declaring the formation of the High Military Command for the Re-establishment of National and Public Order, announcing the immediate removal of President Embaló and the suspension of all state institutions.
According to the military, the action was triggered by what they described as a coordinated “scheme” by political actors, allegedly supported by a well-known drug trafficker, to manipulate election results and destabilize the country.
As part of their takeover, the military ordered the suspension of the electoral process, shut down media operations, and closed all national borders. The move deepened concerns both locally and internationally, as Guinea-Bissau—strategically positioned on a major drug trafficking route between Latin America and Europe—has already endured four coups since independence.
Tensions spiked after Sunday’s elections when both Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias prematurely declared victory, despite the fact that provisional results were not yet scheduled for release.
Eyewitnesses later reported heavy gunfire near the presidential palace, where armed soldiers sealed off the area following what officials described as an attempted breach by unknown armed individuals. A firefight between palace guards and the attackers added further chaos to the unfolding crisis.
An international election observer confirmed that the head of the national electoral commission had been arrested, and the commission’s headquarters were sealed off by the military.
According to the observer, Embaló managed to communicate that he was being detained but claimed he had not been harmed. He accused the army chief of staff of staging a coup, though his presidency had been under dispute by opposition parties that insisted his term had already expired.
Embaló, who took office in February 2020, maintained that his term was valid until September, citing a Supreme Court ruling. Opposition leaders, however, argued that this interpretation was unconstitutional, deepening an already severe political divide.
Amid the turmoil, soldiers also detained opposition candidate Fernando Dias and Domingos Simões Pereira, a former prime minister and influential opposition figure. Pereira—barred from running in the election—had endorsed Dias and remained one of the government’s most vocal critics.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for restraint and urged all parties in Guinea-Bissau to respect the rule of law. The African Union and ECOWAS jointly condemned what they described as an outright assault on democratic governance, demanding the immediate release of all detained political figures and the restoration of constitutional order.
Amid competing narratives, domestic civil society groups added a new layer of controversy. The Popular Front, a coalition of civic organizations, accused both the president and the military of orchestrating a “simulated coup” designed to delay election results and maintain power.
They alleged Embaló intended to install an interim government and restart the electoral process—claims the military has not addressed publicly.
The latest crisis places Guinea-Bissau alongside several West African nations experiencing a resurgence of military rule. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have all fallen under military governments in recent years, citing security failures as justification. Neighboring Guinea underwent a coup in 2021, bringing General Mamadi Doumbouya to power. Earlier this year, Gabon experienced a sudden military takeover following contested election results.
With the region already facing intense political volatility, Guinea-Bissau’s abrupt power shift adds new uncertainty to West Africa’s democratic future.
