Military Seizes Power in Guinea-Bissau Following Disputed Presidential Election
BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau – The military in Guinea-Bissau announced it has seized “total control” of the country on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, arresting the incumbent president, suspending the constitution, and halting a contentious electoral process just a day before official results were expected .
The coup, led by Brigadier General Denis N’Canha, the head of the presidential military office, plunges the West African nation into fresh turmoil amid competing victory claims from the incumbent president and his main rival following Sunday’s presidential vote .
💥 A Day of Turmoil: Gunfire, Arrests, and a Military Announcement
The crisis erupted on Wednesday when sustained gunfire was heard near the presidential palace, the interior ministry, and the National Electoral Commission’s headquarters in the capital, Bissau . This prompted hundreds of residents to flee the areas for safety .
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló confirmed his own deposition in a phone call with France 24, stating, “I have been deposed” . A military source told AFP that Embaló was arrested and was being “well-treated” at the general-staff headquarters .
The military’s move was not limited to the president. Key figures from both the government and opposition were also detained, including:
· Fernando Dias, the main opposition candidate who had also claimed victory .
· Domingos Simões Pereira, the former prime minister and leader of the barred PAIGC party, who was supporting Dias .
· Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Biague Na Ntan and his deputy, General Mamadou Touré .
· Interior Minister Botche Candé .
In a televised statement surrounded by armed soldiers, Brig. Gen. Denis N’Canha announced the establishment of the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” composed of all branches of the armed forces . He declared the military would lead the country “until further notice” and implemented several immediate measures .
Immediate Measures Declared by the Military
Suspended Electoral Process Halting the vote count and announcement of election results .
Closed Borders Shutting all land, air, and sea borders indefinitely .
Imposed Curfew Enacting an indefinite overnight curfew .
Suspended Institutions & Media Shutting down political institutions and silencing all media outlets .
📜 A Nation Plagued by Instability
The coup unfolds against a backdrop of a deeply disputed electoral process. The credibility of the November 23rd election was already in question after the country’s Supreme Court barred the main opposition party, PAIGC, from contesting the presidential election for filing its papers late . This led to accusations of manipulation from the opposition .
Both President Embaló and his challenger, Fernando Dias, had publicly claimed victory in the first round before any official results were released, mirroring a post-election crisis that followed the 2019 vote .
Guinea-Bissau has experienced at least nine coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, with the last successful coup occurring in 2012 . President Embaló himself had reported surviving several attempted coups during his time in office, though critics alleged he sometimes manufactured crises to crack down on dissent .
🌍 International Condemnation and Calls for Restraint
The international community has reacted with deep concern.
· United Nations: Secretary-General António Guterres is “following the situation with deep concern” and appealed for restraint and respect for the rule of law .
· Portugal: The former colonial power urged all parties to refrain from violence and to restore the regular functioning of institutions to allow the electoral process to be completed .
· ECOWAS & African Union: Regional observer missions expressed deep concern and called on the armed forces to release detained officials and allow the electoral process to proceed .
As the sun sets on a tense Bissau, the streets remain deserted under a military-imposed curfew. The nation, once again, finds its fragile democratic aspirations put on hold by the force of arms. The world now watches to see if this latest coup will solidify into a prolonged military junta or if diplomatic pressure can steer Guinea-Bissau back toward a constitutional path.
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