Authorities in Guinea-Bissau have arrested several military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government, the armed forces announced Friday.
The alleged conspiracy involved senior members of the military who went missing earlier this week, just days before the official launch of the general election campaign.
“This sad episode, involving some of our generals and senior officers, endangers the peace and stability essential for national development,” the armed forces said in a statement.
Brig. Gen. Daba Na Walna, head of a military training school, is accused of leading the plot with the backing of several senior officers. Officials did not specify how many were detained or what actions will follow.
If confirmed, this would mark the second coup attempt against President Umaro Sissoco Embaló since he assumed power in 2020. His presidency has been mired in disputes over the length of his term, deepening divisions ahead of the November elections.
The opposition insists Embaló’s mandate expired in February, while the Supreme Court ruled it continues until September. The president, however, set elections for November 30, declaring his first term valid until then — a move that has inflamed political tensions.
Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation scarred by decades of instability, has endured numerous coups since independence from Portugal more than 50 years ago.
A West African regional bloc sent a mediation mission in March to ease the crisis, but it left abruptly, citing threats of expulsion from Embaló’s government.
As arrests mount and political tempers flare, Guinea-Bissau again finds itself balancing between fragile order and the familiar shadow of upheaval.
