Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces have arrested several senior officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government, the military’s deputy chief of staff, Mamadou Kourouma, said on Friday.
General Dahaba Na Walna and commanders Domingos Nhanke and Mario Midana were detained at their homes in the capital, Bissau, on Thursday, Kourouma told a news conference, adding that other names would be released later. Reuters was unable to reach the officers or their representatives for comment.
“This is a new attempt to subvert the constitutional order, on the eve of the start of the election campaign for the legislative and presidential elections on November 23,” Kourouma said.
The small West African nation has been prone to coups and political turmoil since independence from Portugal in 1974. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló says there have been two attempts to unseat him during his tenure, the most recent in December 2023.
Embaló has also been locked in a dispute with the opposition over the end date of his current five-year term. The opposition argues it expired at the end of February, while the Supreme Court has ruled it runs until Sept. 4. In March, Embaló said he would seek a second term in November, reversing earlier statements that he would step down.