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Military swears in new transitional leader after apparent coup
Gen. Horta N'Tam was inaugurated as Guinea-Bissau's interim president on Thursday, a day after soldiers seized control of the West African nation and halted its electoral process. The brief ceremony at army headquarters marked the formal transfer of power following the detention of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and other senior officials.
Allegations of a staged coup surface
Civil society groups and opposition figures have accused Embaló of orchestrating a "simulated coup" to prevent the release of presidential election results, originally scheduled for November 27. The Popular Front coalition claimed the maneuver was designed to block potential defeat, while runner-up Fernando Dias echoed suspicions of electoral interference.
Embaló, who has faced multiple alleged coup attempts during his tenure, has not publicly addressed the accusations. Critics have previously accused him of manufacturing crises to suppress dissent.
Election suspended, borders reopened
The military suspended Sunday's presidential vote and blocked result announcements, citing an unspecified plot by politicians allegedly backed by a "well-known drug baron" to destabilize the country. Authorities imposed a nighttime curfew and briefly closed borders, though AFP reported reopenings by Thursday.
An unnamed military source told AFP that Embaló remains in custody at army headquarters, where he is reportedly "well-treated." Government sources confirmed to the BBC that Dias, former Prime Minister Domingos Pereira, and Interior Minister Botché Candé were also detained, alongside top military leaders Gen. Biague Na Ntan and Gen. Mamadou Touré.
International condemnation and calls for restraint
The African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemned the coup, demanding Embaló's "immediate and unconditional release." AU Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasized respect for the electoral process, while ECOWAS observers-who had deemed the vote "orderly and peaceful"-expressed regret over the timing, noting they had just met with both leading candidates.
Portugal, Guinea-Bissau's former colonial ruler, urged a return to constitutional order and called on all parties to avoid violence. The UN has previously labeled the country a "narco-state" due to its role as a cocaine transit hub between Latin America and Europe.
Context: A history of instability
Guinea-Bissau, a nation of over 2 million, has endured at least nine coups or attempts since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. Embaló, 53, had sought to become the first president in 30 years to win a second consecutive term, though his delayed election faced legitimacy questions, with opponents arguing his mandate expired in February 2025.
The country's fragmented coastline and uninhabited islands have long facilitated drug trafficking, exacerbating its status as one of the world's poorest nations.
"I have been deposed."
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, in a phone call to France 24 on Wednesday
