Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa appeared on state television Wednesday declaring they had seized power and deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, following gunfire near the presidential palace three days after national elections.
Brigadier General Dinis N’Tchama announces on state television that today’s military coup in Guinea-Bissau was carried out to restore order, stop corruption & combat the drug traffickers who made the country one of the main transit points for cocaine from South America to Europe pic.twitter.com/9TMJq877XV
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 26, 2025
The army officer leading the coup, Dinis N’Tchama, said the “High Military Command for the Re-establishment of National and Public Order” acted to stop an alleged plot to manipulate election results. As part of the coup, the military suspended state institutions, shut down media outlets, and sealed the country’s borders.
The move comes after Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections, in which both Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias claimed victory ahead of official results expected on Thursday.
Prior to the announcement, gunfire was reported near the election commission headquarters, the presidential palace, and the interior ministry.
A spokesperson for President Embaló claimed the shots were fired by gunmen affiliated with Dias. However, an ally of Dias accused Embaló of attempting to stage a coup in order to declare a state of emergency and retain power. Neither side provided evidence to support their claims.
Embaló told French news outlet Jeune Afrique that he was arrested on Wednesday while in his office at the presidential palace. Also arrested were the armed forces’ chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan; the deputy chief of staff, General Mamadou Touré; and the interior minister, Botché Candé.
According to a source cited by Jeune Afrique, Dias and opposition figure Domingos Simões Pereira were also arrested by armed men and taken to an airbase.
