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BISSAU, GUINEA-BISSAU — Military officers in Guinea-Bissau announced on Wednesday that they have seized power, suspended all political institutions, and deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, just one day before the anticipated announcement of provisional election results.¹

The takeover, which included gunfire near the Presidential Palace, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) headquarters, and the Interior Ministry, marks the latest in a long history of political instability in the West African nation.²

Coup Announced Amid Election Dispute

A group of officers, identifying themselves as the "High Military Command for the Restoration of Order," appeared on state television to declare they had taken "total control" of the country.³

• President Deposed: President Umaro Sissoco Embaló told French media he was arrested without force at his office and confirmed, "I have been deposed."⁴

• Widespread Arrests: Several senior officials, including the Interior Minister Botche Candé, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, and the head of the National Electoral Commission, were also reportedly detained.⁵

• Electoral Process Halted: The military command announced the immediate suspension of the entire electoral process, the closure of all borders (land, sea, and air), and the imposition of a curfew.⁶

The coup comes three days after presidential and legislative elections were held on Sunday, November 23rd.⁷ Both incumbent President Embaló and his main rival, Fernando Dias da Costa, had claimed victory in the first round, escalating political tensions.⁸ Official results were due on Thursday.⁹

Allegations of a Destabilization Plot

The military officers, led by General Denis N'Canha, head of the presidential military household, claimed the coup was necessary to counter a serious plot.¹⁰

"The High Military Command for the Restoration of Order has discovered an ongoing plan... orchestrated by certain national politicians with the participation of a well-known drug lord, and domestic and foreign nationals," General N'Canha stated, asserting the plot was aimed at manipulating the election results and destabilizing the country.¹¹

Guinea-Bissau is one of the world's poorest countries and has long been characterized by political turmoil and its role as a key transit point for Latin American cocaine heading to Europe—a trade fueled by chronic instability.¹²

International Concern

The military takeover has drawn immediate condemnation and concern from the international community:¹³

• UN Reaction: UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed to "all national stakeholders in Guinea-Bissau to exercise restraint and respect the rule of law."

• ECOWAS Challenge: The coup adds further pressure to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has struggled to contain a wave of military takeovers—including in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—that have recently affected the region, often referred to as the "Coup Belt."

This is the ninth successful or attempted coup in Guinea-Bissau since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974.¹⁴