Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Embalo has reported that he was arrested inside the presidential palace on Wednesday, along with key government officials including Chief of Staff General Biague Na Ntan, Deputy Chief of Staff General Mamadou Traore, and Interior Minister Botche Cande.
Speaking about the incident, President Embalo said no force was used during what he described as a “coup d’état,” allegedly led by the army chief of staff.
Reporters on the ground heard gunfire near the National Electoral Commission headquarters and surrounding areas. The country has been awaiting results from the presidential election held on November 23, with both Embalo and opposition candidate Fernando Dias de Costa claiming victory. Embalo had earlier claimed to have won 65% of the votes cast.
Military officers announced that they were taking “total control” of Guinea-Bissau, AFP reported. They have suspended the electoral process and closed the country’s borders, just three days after legislative and presidential elections.
Brigadier General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, told the press that a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces, was taking over the leadership of the country until further notice.” He also claimed to have uncovered a plan involving “national drug lords” to destabilise the country, including the introduction of weapons to alter the constitutional order.
In addition to halting elections, the military has suspended all media programming and imposed a mandatory curfew.
Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations, has a history of political instability and has experienced four coups since independence. The country is also a key transit point for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe.
