Soldiers stormed state television Wednesday night and announced they have taken full control of Guinea-Bissau, dissolving all government institutions in the latest coup for the West African nation.
“High Military Command for the Restoration of Order”
Spokesman Dinis N’Tchama declared the creation of a new ruling junta, accusing unnamed forces of trying to rig last week’s presidential election.
Immediate orders issued:
- All state institutions suspended
- Every media outlet shut down
- Land, sea and air borders closed
- Ongoing election process frozen
Bissau on Lockdown
Heavy gunfire rang out near the presidential palace earlier in the day. Armed troops sealed roads to government buildings and placed the capital under tight military control.
The head of the electoral commission has been arrested and the commission’s offices sealed — one day before provisional results were due.
President Embaló Detained
Outgoing President Umaro Sissoco Embaló confirmed he is being held by the army chief of staff but said he has not been harmed.
His mandate had become deeply contested, with opposition parties claiming his term legally ended before the vote.
Election Chaos Triggered the Takeover
Both Embaló and main challenger Fernando Dias da Costa declared victory immediately after polls closed last week, plunging the country into political crisis.
Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has endured repeated coups and instability. This marks the latest military intervention in a nation long plagued by power struggles.
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