BISSAU – Guinea-Bissau’s military has announced that it has assumed “total control” of the country, halting the electoral process and shutting all borders as a disputed presidential vote pushes the West African nation into deeper uncertainty.
The declaration, delivered from army headquarters in Bissau and broadcast live on state television, said the armed forces have established a “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order.” The body will temporarily administer the state, the officers said, though no timeline was provided for a return to civilian rule.
The intervention comes three days after the country’s presidential election, in which both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his main challenger Fernando Dias declared victory. Guinea-Bissau’s election commission had been expected to release provisional results on Thursday.
Gunfire in the Capital Ahead of Takeover
Hours before the military’s announcement, bursts of gunfire were reported near several key government institutions, including the election commission, the presidential palace, and the interior ministry. Each camp traded accusations: an Embaló spokesperson claimed Dias-linked gunmen were behind the shootings, while a Dias ally alleged the president orchestrated the chaos to justify clinging to power. Neither side provided evidence.
A Country Long Plagued by Coups
Guinea-Bissau has faced chronic political instability since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. At least nine coups or attempted coups occurred before Embaló took office in 2020, and the president has repeatedly claimed that he survived multiple plots against his rule, including one in October this year.
But critics argue Embaló has embellished or manufactured coup claims to suppress opposition and tighten his grip on the state. In December 2023, gunfire rocked Bissau for hours in what Embaló described as an attempted overthrow, a justification he used to dissolve parliament. Since then, the country has not had a fully functioning legislature.
Economic Hardship and International Concern
The military’s intervention comes against a backdrop of severe economic strain. Guinea-Bissau, a nation of 2.2 million people, had an average annual income of just $963 in 2024, according to the World Bank. In 2008, the UN labeled the country a “narco-state,” citing its strategic location and archipelagos that facilitated cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe.
With borders now sealed, the electoral process suspended, and competing victory claims from both leading candidates, Guinea-Bissau faces yet another chapter of political turmoil, one raising fresh concerns across a region already battered by a wave of coups.
Credit: The Guardian
