The African Union has called for the swift and unconditional release of Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, following Wednesday’s military takeover that plunged the West African nation into uncertainty.
In a statement posted on his X handle, AU Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf condemned the seizure of power, saying the organisation “unequivocally condemns the coup” and urges “the immediate and unconditional release of President Embaló and all detained officials.”
The crisis began on Wednesday when General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, announced that the armed forces had taken control “until further notice” after claiming to have uncovered a plot involving “drug lords” and the alleged smuggling of weapons aimed at disrupting the constitutional order.
According to N’Canha, the military shut down the electoral process, suspended all media broadcasts, and imposed a nationwide curfew as part of the emergency measures.
Borders were initially closed across land, air and sea before being reopened on Thursday, confirmed by General Lassana Mansali.
Embaló, who was believed to be the frontrunner in the presidential election scheduled for Sunday, was reportedly being held in a building near the military headquarters.
A senior military official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the president was inside the facility “with the chief of staff and the minister of the interior.”
Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, has long grappled with political instability and its reputation as a key transit point for cocaine trafficking between Latin America and Europe. Political stability was a central campaign issue ahead of the now-suspended election.
The AU has urged restraint and a return to constitutional rule as concerns grow about the country’s fragile democracy.
