Guinea-Bissau President Embalo detained as military takes control
Bissau, November 27, 2025 – The outgoing president of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, has been detained by the military, who confirmed he is being well treated, amid rising political tensions in the country following the recent presidential and legislative elections.
Military officials announced on Wednesday that they were taking full control of the country and suspending the electoral process after heavy gunfire was reported near the presidential palace. General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military house, stated that a High Command for the Restoration of Order, representing all branches of the armed forces, would lead the country until further notice.
The general cited national security concerns and alleged plans uncovered by intelligence services to destabilize the country, including the involvement of local drug lords. Embalo was reportedly detained alongside the chief of staff and the interior minister.
Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation of 2.2 million people, is prone to political instability, having experienced four coups and multiple attempted coups since independence in 1974. The country is also known as a major transit hub for drug trafficking between South America and Europe.
ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) has deployed over 6,780 security personnel to assist with post-election stabilization and maintain public order. The previous 2019 presidential election had also triggered a prolonged political crisis, with both Embalo and his main opponent Domingos Simões Pereira claiming victory.
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