Guinea-Bissau Military Seizes Power Amid Election Dispute

On November 26, 2025, military officers in Guinea-Bissau announced they had seized power, citing concerns over alleged electoral manipulation. Brigadier General Denis N'Canha stated on state television that the military had taken "total control" of the country and established the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order.

The coup occurred shortly after both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed victory in the November 23 presidential election, despite official results not yet being released. Gunfire was reported near the presidential palace and the National Electoral Commission headquarters in the capital, Bissau, preceding the military's announcement.

In response to the military's actions, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union condemned the coup and called for a swift return to constitutional order. Portugal, Guinea-Bissau's former colonial ruler, also urged an immediate end to violence and the resumption of the electoral process.

Guinea-Bissau has a history of political instability, with multiple coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. The country remains one of the world's poorest, with half the population living in poverty, according to the World Bank.