Guinea-Bissau Coup: Military Seizes Power, Installs Transitional Government Amid Election Crisis

Guinea-Bissau, a nation long plagued by political volatility, plunged into fresh turmoil in November 2025 as its military executed a swift takeover, ousting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo just hours before the announcement of contentious election results. General Horta Nta Na Man has been declared the head of a new one-year transitional government, signaling another dramatic shift in the West African country's leadership.

A Nation Under New Command

The coup, which unfolded on a Wednesday, saw soldiers swiftly take control in the capital, Bissau. By noon the following day, General Horta Nta Na Man was presented as the new interim leader. In his inaugural statement, General Man justified the military's intervention, citing grave threats to Guinea-Bissau's stability and alleging attempts to “manipulate electoral results.” This dramatic power grab saw the military declare the suspension of the electoral process, media coverage, and the closure of all national borders, alongside imposing a nighttime curfew. Checkpoints manned by heavily armed, masked soldiers appeared around key government buildings, including the presidential palace, where gunfire had been reported.

The Precipitating Crisis: Contested Elections

The military's move came amidst escalating political tension following the weekend's presidential elections. Both the incumbent, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, and opposition candidate Fernando Dias had prematurely declared victory, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the democratic process. Brigadier General Denis N’Canha, surprisingly the head of the presidential guard, emerged as a key figure in the coup, announcing the formation of “the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order.” N'Canha asserted that the military acted to thwart an “ongoing plan” to destabilize the country, claiming it involved “some national politicians with the participation of a well-known drug lord and domestic and foreign nationals,” though specific details remained scarce.

Arrests and Disappearances

In the immediate aftermath, several high-profile figures were detained. President Embalo himself confirmed his arrest to international media, though his exact whereabouts remain undisclosed by the military. Other notable arrests include opposition candidate Fernando Dias (of the Party for Social Renewal), Domingos Simoes Pereira (head of the main opposition PAIGC party), Army Chief of Staff General Biague Na Ntam, his deputy General Mamadou Toure, and Minister of Interior Botche Cande. The PAIGC party, which had previously been barred from participating in the elections on a technicality, publicly confirmed the arrests of its leaders, including lawyer Octavio Lopes.

A Legacy of Instability

Guinea-Bissau, nestled between Senegal and Guinea on the West African coast, has an unfortunate history of political upheaval. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, the nation has endured nine coup attempts, becoming synonymous with instability. It has also gained notoriety as a significant transit hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe. This recent coup is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling trend of military interventions across West Africa, which has significantly strained the regional bloc ECOWAS's efforts to foster democratic governance. ECOWAS, along with the African Union, swiftly condemned the Bissau-Guinean putsch, despite having monitored what they initially described as an “orderly and peaceful vote.”

Embalo's Troubled Presidency

President Umaro Sissoco Embalo's tenure, which began with a contested victory in 2019, was continually shadowed by a legitimacy crisis. His opponents frequently accused him of manufacturing crises to consolidate power, a claim substantiated by actions such as the dissolution of parliament in December 2023 following an alleged coup attempt, leading to his rule by decree. Embalo had aimed to secure a historic second consecutive term, yet his presidency was marked by accusations of delaying elections beyond his mandate and heavy-handed tactics against opposition groups like PAIGC, which was controversially excluded from the recent vote.

Unanswered Questions and Future Uncertainties

The events have left Guinea-Bissau in a precarious state, with election results suspended and key political figures under military detention. Civil society groups, such as the Frente Popular, have even floated the theory of a “simulated coup,” suggesting the possibility that Embalo himself might have orchestrated the takeover to prevent the publication of results that favored the opposition. As the dust settles, the international community watches closely, hoping for a swift and peaceful return to constitutional order in a nation desperately needing stability.