Guinea-Bissau’s military leadership on Thursday formally installed General Horta Nta as the head of the country’s military government, consolidating control following the recent presidential election.
In a statement broadcast on state television, the military announced that General Nta will oversee a one-year transitional period. Prior to the takeover, Nta served as the army chief of staff and was a close ally of ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalo.
Embalo’s current whereabouts remain unknown. On Wednesday, he claimed to have been arrested by soldiers as gunfire erupted near the presidential palace.
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Opposition figures, however, have alleged that Embalo staged the coup to evade an expected defeat in Sunday’s tightly contested election.
Guinea-Bissau, a nation of 2.2 million people, has endured decades of political instability, including multiple coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal more than 50 years ago. The country has also become a key transit point for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe, a factor analysts say has intensified its political crises.
The latest coup adds to a growing trend of military interventions in West Africa, where disputed elections have recently challenged democratic processes and, according to observers, may embolden armed forces to seize power.