GUINEA-BISSAU’S electoral commission declared Tuesday it cannot finalize results from the disputed presidential election after armed intruders stormed its offices and confiscated critical vote tally sheets. This development coincides with the military’s seizure of governmental control, plunging the West African nation into renewed political turmoil.
The commission’s statement confirmed the November 26th breach occurred three days following presidential and legislative elections where both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa declared victory. The unidentified armed men’s raid effectively paralyzed the electoral certification process.
In parallel developments, the military establishment installed former army chief of staff General Horta Inta-a as head of a transitional military government. The new regime announced plans to oversee a twelve-month transition period. On Saturday, Inta-a appointed a 28-member cabinet predominantly composed of political allies to the deposed president.
President Embaló has sought refuge in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo, while Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu granted protective asylum to opposition leader da Costa citing “imminent threats to his personal safety.”
This crisis continues Guinea-Bissau’s troubled legacy of political instability since gaining independence from Portugal five decades ago. The nation of 2.2 million people, ranking among the world’s poorest countries, has experienced multiple coups and attempted power grabs, including a failed October putsch. International analysts note the country’s role as a strategic narcotics trafficking corridor between Latin America and Europe has significantly exacerbated its chronic governance challenges.