Nigeria TV Info

Guinea-Bissau’s new military ruler moves to consolidate power after coup

Summary
A military takeover in Guinea-Bissau on 26 November 2025 ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló just before provisional results of a tense presidential election were due. The army — calling itself the “High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order” — declared it had seized “total control,” suspended the electoral process, imposed a curfew and closed the country’s borders.

The following day, army chief-of-staff Horta Inta-A Na Man was sworn in as transitional president for a one-year period. He swiftly appointed Ilídio Vieira Té — a close ally of Embaló and the outgoing finance minister — as prime minister. The military said these moves were necessary to “restore order.”

International reaction was swift: the African Union (AU) condemned the coup as “unconstitutional” and demanded the immediate release of Embaló and other detained officials. Meanwhile, regional bloc ECOWAS suspended Guinea-Bissau from participation and called for a return to constitutional order.

Domestically, the takeover — coming just before election results — has raised fears that the coup is a cynical attempt to void the vote rather than a genuine effort to protect democratic institutions. Critics argue the election’s credibility was already under question after key opposition parties were barred from running.