Guinea-Bissau Military Seizes Power, Detains President After Disputed Election
Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau have seized power in a swift and coordinated coup, detaining President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and dissolving key state institutions. The takeover occurred shortly after a disputed presidential election in which both the incumbent and opposition candidate claimed victory. Heavy gunfire was reported around the presidential palace and electoral commission before soldiers appeared on state television announcing they had assumed control to “restore order” and prevent alleged attempts to manipulate election results. The military shut the country’s borders, suspended the electoral process, and imposed a curfew while forming a governing body known as the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order. The following day, the junta appointed former army chief Horta Nta Na Man as transitional president for a one-year period. The coup has drawn sharp criticism from ECOWAS, the African Union, and international observers, who demand a return to constitutional rule and the release of detained officials. The takeover deepens uncertainty in a nation long troubled by political instability and repeated coups, leaving the future of its electoral process and democratic transition unclear.
Ama Boah
Gunfire, Shutdowns, Detentions: Guinea-Bissau Plunges Into Fresh Political Turmoil
On 26 November 2025, a group of army officers in Guinea-Bissau appeared on state television and declared they had taken “total control” of the country deposing the president, suspending the electoral process, and closing the nation’s borders.
Gunfire was reported earlier that day near key state buildings in the capital, Bissau including the presidential palace, the electoral commission, and the interior ministry. Roads leading to those sites were sealed off by heavily armed and masked soldiers.
In a statement read on television, military spokesman Dinis N'Tchama, claiming to speak on behalf of his colleagues, asserted they had uncovered a plan involving political actors (and reportedly a “well-known drug lord”) to manipulate the election results, a scheme they said threatened the country’s stability.
The military announced the formation of a new governing body, the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order, which would assume executive power “until further notice.”
Arrests, Detentions and Leadership Change
Incumbent president Umaro Sissoco Embaló confirmed to media that he had been arrested saying simply: “I have been deposed.” The military says he is being held at the army general-staff headquarters.
In addition to Embaló, several senior officials including the army chief of staff, his deputy, and the interior minister were also reportedly detained.
The next day, on 27 November 2025, the military installed Horta Nta Na Man (also styled Horta Nta N’Man) formerly the army’s chief of staff as transitional president, tasked with leading the junta for a one-year period.
Election Dispute and Justification
This abrupt takeover came just as the country awaited the official announcement of provisional results from the presidential election held recently. Both Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias had declared victory, a highly contested outcome.
The military cited alleged threats to national stability, including claims that politicians and a drug lord planned to manipulate the vote via weapons and corruption, as justification for the intervention.
Security operations following the takeover included shutting borders, suspending media, and imposing a nationwide curfew.
What This Means — And What’s at Stake
Guinea-Bissau is no stranger to political upheaval: since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, it has endured multiple coups and attempted coups.
The new military regime now controls all levers of power. The interruption of the electoral process, detention of political leaders, and border closures could deepen political uncertainty, trigger domestic unrest, and lead to international condemnation.
Regional and international bodies including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) have already voiced strong concern, calling for the release of detained officials and a swift return to constitutional order.
With the fate of the election result now uncertain, Guinea-Bissau faces a volatile period. The coming days including how the military handles detained leaders, whether elections resume, and the reaction of civil society and regional powers will crucial
ly shape the country’s political trajectory.
Sources:
Al Jazeera/ The Guardian
