Guinea-Bissau President Detained as Soldiers Announce Coup
BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau – Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau appeared on state television Wednesday, declaring they have seized power, hours after gunfire erupted near the presidential palace. President Umaro Sissoco embaló confirmed to French media he had been detained by the military in what he described as a coup led by the army chief of staff. He stated he was not subjected to violence.
The unfolding events follow Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections, where both Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed victory, despite official provisional results not expected until Thursday.
According to a staff member from an international election observer group, the president of the National Electoral Commission was arrested and the commission office sealed off by the military.
Embaló’s presidency has been marked by political instability. The opposition argued his term expired on February 27, 2024, despite a Supreme Court ruling extending it to September 4, 2024. The presidential election was subsequently delayed until this month.
Guinea-Bissau has a history of political turmoil, having experienced four coups and numerous attempted coups since gaining independence. The country has also become a transit point for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe. This latest progress adds to a pattern of instability that has plagued the West African nation.