Coup in Guinea-Bissau; Interim President Appointed as Embaló Flees to Senegal
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Qatar’s Al Jazeera network, Anta made his first public appearance dressed in military uniform alongside other army commanders during a ceremony broadcast on state television. he stated that the coup was necessary to prevent a “conspiracy by drug traffickers” against Guinea-Bissau’s democracy and announced that a one-year transitional period would begin promptly.
Relative calm prevailed in the capital, Bissau; soldiers were deployed across the streets, and many residents remained indoors even after a nighttime curfew was lifted. Businesses and banks remained closed. In a subsequent swearing-in ceremony, General Thomas Dejasi was appointed chief of staff of the army.
The Senegalese Foreign Ministry reported that ousted President Umaro Sisoco Embalo arrived in Senegal via a special flight following mediation by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The coup leaders, calling themselves the “Supreme Military Leadership for Restoring Order,” stated in a televised address that they removed embalo due to his involvement in plans to destabilize the country with politicians and major drug traffickers.
This marks the ninth coup in West and Central Africa over the past five years and underscores ongoing instability in Guinea-Bissau-a nation known as a cocaine trafficking hub with a long history of military interference in politics.
the coup occurred one day before preliminary election results were due-results expected to clarify competition between Embalo and 47-year-old Fernando Dias, a political newcomer posing serious opposition.Before news of the coup broke, gunfire was heard near both the electoral commission and presidential palace for about an hour.
Embaló confirmed his removal during calls with French media. The military said he and other senior officials are “under control of the Supreme Military Leadership.”
Mohamed Ali yusuf, chairperson of the African Union Commission, condemned the coup in a statement demanding immediate unconditional release of Embaló and all detained officials.
ECOWAS leaders also denounced the takeover on social media platform X (formerly twitter) and convened an emergency virtual meeting to assess developments. The European Union called for restoration of constitutional order and continuation of vote counting.
