Guinea-Bissau’s military has installed General Horta Nta Na Man as transitional president, a day after toppling President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and halting the vote count in the country’s general election. The opposition candidate, Fernando Dias, alleges that Embalo and the army are conspiring to thwart his victory.
The army’s takeover came just before the release of the first-round election results, which were expected to show Dias in the lead. The military claims that “drug traffickers” and foreign elements were involved in a plot to destabilize the country and manipulate the vote. However, Dias says the coup was “fabricated” to keep him from power.
The streets of the capital, Bissau, were calm on Thursday, with many people staying home after an overnight curfew was lifted. Businesses and banks were shut, and the city was quiet. Embalo, who was ousted in the coup, has arrived in Senegal, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry.
The African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have condemned the coup, calling for the immediate release of Embalo and all detained officials. The international community is monitoring the situation closely, with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following developments with concern.
The country has a history of coups and attempted coups since its independence from Portugal in 1974. The latest developments have raised concerns about the stability of the region and the impact on the country’s fragile democracy. The opposition coalition backing Dias has demanded that the election results be released as previously planned, and that all detained officials be freed.
The situation remains uncertain, with the international community urging restraint and calling for a return to constitutional order. The fate of the election and the future of Guinea-Bissau’s government hang in the balance, as the country struggles to maintain stability and democracy in the face of military intervention.
