(Bissau – Guinea-Bissau) – November 26, 2025
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau witnessed a new chapter in its chronic political instability on Wednesday, following an announcement by a group of military personnel declaring complete control over the country's affairs. The operation included the detention of the outgoing President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, along with key figures in the military command and the government.
This dramatic move comes just three days after the presidential and legislative elections were held, and hours before the scheduled announcement of the preliminary results, leaving the future of the West African nation hanging in the balance.
Local sources and those close to the Presidency reported that a unit of the armed forces, led by officers whose identities have not yet been disclosed, stormed the Presidential Palace in the capital, Bissau, and detained President Embaló. The President himself later confirmed he was in custody, with sources indicating he was transferred to a prison located within the General Staff headquarters.
The detentions were not limited to the President but also included influential figures, most notably General Biagué Na Ntam (Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces), General Mamadu Touré (Deputy Chief of Staff), and Interior Minister Botche Candé.
The military issued a brief statement announcing the "suspension of the work of constitutional institutions" in the country, the freezing of the entire electoral process, and the closure of borders, alongside the imposition of a mandatory curfew, affirming their "full control" of the situation.
The latest tensions follow Sunday's polling day, which saw fierce competition between President Embaló and the main opposition candidate, Fernando Dias. Both candidates had separately declared victory before the official results were released, raising fears of violence or a constitutional crisis.
The coup leaders justified their action by citing a "plot to destabilize the country" allegedly orchestrated by local politicians and "major drug traffickers" with the aim of manipulating the election results and undermining the people's will. Guinea-Bissau has long been a major transit hub for drug trafficking in West Africa, with accusations of involvement often directed at the military and politicians.
This coup recalls the turbulent and often violent history of Guinea-Bissau, which gained independence from Portugal in 1974. The country has witnessed four successful coups and several failed coup attempts since independence, cementing its image as a "coup republic" and leaving its institutions weak and vulnerable.
Regional and international reactions to this sudden development are currently awaited, particularly from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which typically imposes sanctions and measures against countries experiencing military takeovers.
