Guinea-Bissau Army Thwarts Alleged Coup Attempt on Eve of Election Campaign
BISSAU – The military in Guinea-Bissau announced on Tuesday that it had foiled an attempt to seize power, arresting several senior officers just one day before the official start of campaigning for the country’s upcoming presidential election.
In a statement, Deputy Chief of Staff General Mamadu Ture confirmed the arrests, alleging that the group of officers had attempted to “subvert the constitutional order” of the politically volatile West African nation.
The failed plot injects a fresh wave of instability into Guinea-Bissau, a country with a history of military coups and political assassinations since its independence from Portugal. The timing is particularly sensitive, as the nation prepares for a pivotal presidential election scheduled for November 23, 2025.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the arrested officers or detailed the specific nature of the alleged plot. However, the military’s high-level announcement underscores the seriousness with which the threat was perceived.
The situation places the country’s fragile democratic institutions under renewed stress. The upcoming election period is seen as a critical test for stability in Guinea-Bissau, which has been working to consolidate its democracy amid repeated bouts of military intervention in politics.
The government has urged calm as the investigation continues, but the incident raises immediate concerns about the potential for further unrest in the lead-up to the November vote.
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