Coup in Guinea-Bissau: President Detained as Military Takes Control

Thu Nov 27 2025 16:14:47 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A military coup has erupted in Guinea-Bissau, resulting in the detention of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the suspension of the electoral process amid allegations of a plot to destabilize the country.

In Guinea-Bissau, military officers have seized control, detaining President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The officers announced on state television that they had suspended the electoral process, claiming to thwart a conspiracy involving drug traffickers. Gunfire erupted in the capital, Bissau, earlier today, with reports of widespread panic among residents and the deployment of checkpoints. Various political figures, including opposition leader Fernando Dias, have also been arrested, raising concerns over political stability in the coup-prone nation.

A group of military officers say they have seized control of Guinea-Bissau amid reports that the president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, has been arrested.

Shortly after gunshots were heard in the capital, Bissau, government sources told the BBC that Embaló had been detained.

The officers then appeared on state TV, saying they had suspended the electoral process, as the West African nation awaited the outcome of Sunday's presidential election.

They claimed to be acting to thwart a plot by unnamed politicians who had the support of a well-known drug baron to destabilise the country and announced the closure of its borders and imposed a night-time curfew.

Sandwiched between Senegal and Guinea, the coup-prone country is known as a notorious drug-trafficking hub, where the military has been influential since independence from Portugal in 1974.

The election results were expected on Thursday, with both Embaló and his closest rival Fernando Dias claiming victory.

Late on Wednesday afternoon, Embaló told France 24 in a phone call: I have been deposed. Government sources have since confirmed the detention of Dias, Pereira, and Interior Minister Botché Candé.

The putschists have also taken army chief Gen Biague Na Ntan and his deputy, Gen Mamadou Touré, into custody, according to reports.

Witnesses in Bissau heard gunfire earlier today, around 13:00 GMT, leading hundreds of people to flee, seeking shelter.

General Denis N'Canha, head of the military household at the presidential palace, confirmed the takeover and instructed the population to remain calm.

The Portuguese government has called for a return to constitutional order and urged all involved to refrain from violence. The nation has experienced at least nine coups or attempted coups in the past five decades.

Embaló has survived multiple coup attempts during his presidency; however, his critics allege he has exaggerated threats to consolidate power.

Guinea-Bissau is among the poorest nations in the world, with a significant population living in poverty and facing daunting challenges, including its reputation as a key transit point for drug trafficking from Latin America to Europe.