A group of military officers in Guinea-Bissau has announced that they have seized power and detained President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
Guinea-Bissau was thrown into chaos on Wednesday after military officers announced on state TV that they had taken control of the country, suspended the electoral process, and arrested President Umaro Sissoco Embaló along with several ministers and members of his army staff.
Gunfire erupted in Bissau earlier in the day, causing residents to flee, and government sources told the BBC that Embaló had been detained a claim he appeared to confirm in a phone call, saying, “I have been deposed.” The officers, led by General Denis N’Canha, declared the formation of “the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” closed the borders, and instructed citizens to remain calm.
The takeover comes as Guinea-Bissau awaited results from Sunday’s presidential election, already marred by controversy after the main opposition candidate was disqualified. The country, long plagued by instability, has faced multiple coups since independence in 1974.