Portugal on Wednesday called for an end to violence in Guinea-Bissau and urged the resumption of the electoral process, following a reported takeover by army officers just before the planned announcement of presidential election results.
In a statement, the Portuguese Foreign Ministry said: “The Portuguese Government calls on all those involved to refrain from any act of institutional or civic violence and to resume the regular functioning of institutions, so that the process of counting and proclaiming the election results can be finalized.”
Guinea-Bissau has a history of political instability, having experienced at least nine coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, most recently when President Umaro Sissoco Embalo assumed office in 2020.
