Military seizes power in Guinea-Bissau; president, top officials detained
The armed forces in Guinea-Bissau have toppled the government and taken President Umaro Sissoco Embaló into custody, officials said Wednesday.
Embalo was reportedly arrested around 1 p.m. at the presidential palace. Report confirmed the detention of the armed forces’ chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan, the deputy chief of staff, General Mamadou Touré, and the interior minister, Botché Candé.
Embalo described the episode as a “coup d’état,” but said he was not physically harmed during his arrest. The upheaval follows a disputed presidential vote held last Sunday, in which both Embaló and opposition contender Fernando Dias have claimed victory. Embaló has publicly asserted he won with about 65% of the vote, while Dias insists he is the winner and opposes a second round.
Official provisional results are pending and must be validated by the country’s Supreme Court, which has not yet set a date to rule. The competing claims have sharply raised tensions across the country.
Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability, having experienced several coups since gaining independence, most recently in 2012. Embaló, first elected in December 2019, had said he intended to serve only one term.
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