Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló Detained in Apparent Military Coup After Disputed Elections
Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was arrested by the country’s armed forces on Wednesday in what appears to be a military coup, just three days after contentious presidential elections.
Reports said heavy gunfire erupted around the presidential palace in Bissau shortly after 1:00 p.m. local time (GMT), as soldiers stormed the palace, overpowered the presidential guard, and took Embaló into custody.
In a brief phone interview with French-language outlet Jeune Afrique after his arrest, Embaló confirmed: “I have been arrested by the army. I am currently detained at the palace.” His exact location remains under military control, and the armed forces have not issued any official statement.
The coup follows Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections, in which both Embaló and main opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed victory before results were announced. The elections had been fraught with tension after the Supreme Court barred several major opposition parties, including the historic PAIGC, prompting accusations of an “institutional coup.”
Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation with a history of political instability, has experienced at least ten successful or attempted coups since gaining independence in 1974. Embaló, a former army general, has largely ruled by decree since dissolving parliament in December 2023.
As of Wednesday evening, neither the military nor regional bodies such as ECOWAS and the African Union had issued statements. Sporadic gunfire has been reported across several neighborhoods, and official election results, originally set for Thursday, November 27, have yet to be released.
