Armed men seize power in Guinea-Bissau as President Embalo confirms ouster

Bissau, Nov 27 A group of army officers have announced that they have seized control of coup-prone Guinea-Bissau, just a day before the electoral commission was set to release provisional results from a fiercely contested presidential election.

In a statement broadcast on state television on Wednesday (local time), spokesperson Diniz N'Tchama declared that the officers had removed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, halted the electoral process, sealed the country's borders and imposed a nationwide curfew. Moments later, Embalo confirmed his ouster, telling France 24, "I have been deposed."

The officers said they had formed a governing body called The High Military Command for the Restoration of Order, which would oversee the West African nation "until further notice". They also announced the detention of Embalo's main challenger, Fernando Dias and former prime minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, whom Embalo defeated in 2019. It remained unclear whether the coup faction represented the full spectrum of Guinea-Bissau's fragmented military forces or if they had secured control over the capital and the wider territory.

Guinea-Bissau, a small coastal nation between Senegal and Guinea, has long been a transit point for cocaine smuggled to Europe. The military claimed its takeover was driven by an alleged destabilisation plot involving "certain national politicians" and "well-known national and foreign drug barons," along with what it said were attempts to manipulate the election outcome.

Gunfire was reported near the electoral commission headquarters, the presidential palace and the interior ministry shortly before the coup announcement.

The shooting lasted for nearly an hour before easing around 1400 GMT, according to local media reports.

Provisional results from Sunday's vote were due on Thursday, with both Embalo and Dias having declared victory. Embalo was seeking to become the first president in more than three decades to win a second consecutive term.

Portugal, Guinea-Bissau's former colonial ruler, urged authorities to restore institutional normalcy, resume counting and allow the proclamation of results. It called on all parties to "refrain from any act of institutional or civic violence".

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