Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau) – Guineans in Lisbon staged a protest on Wednesday amid escalating political turmoil in Guinea-Bissau, accusing the military of orchestrating a “self-coup” to derail the country’s electoral process and prevent the announcement of results from last Sunday’s general election.
The demonstration came hours after the High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order declared that it had assumed “full powers of the State,” announcing the suspension of the electoral process, the removal of the president, and the closure of national borders.
The statement, read on state television by Denis N’tchama, alleged the discovery of a plot to destabilize the country involving national and foreign politicians and “a known drug lord.” It also referred to alleged attempts to manipulate election results and the existence of a weapons depot uncovered by intelligence services.
Protesters Reject Military Move
In Lisbon, dozens of Guineans gathered outside the country’s embassy to denounce what they describe as a fabricated coup attempt. Activist Sumaila Jaló, speaking to DW, said the real objective of the military announcement is to halt the publication of results that the incumbent regime fears.
“We reject this military uprising, which aims to prevent the announcement of the results and undermine the electoral process,” Jaló said.
He stressed that the protest was organized in response to unexplained delays in vote counting, particularly in Europe and parts of Africa, where tally sheets are reportedly already public.
According to Jaló, the delays, followed by the military’s intervention, amount to a “clear attempt to annul the elections.”
“This is a regime staging a self-coup to justify undermining an electoral process in which it clearly lost in the first round,” he said.
Call to Defend the Constitution
Despite the suspension of the electoral process, Jaló insisted that the Constitution must be upheld. He said those mobilizing in Lisbon and other regions are not backing any specific candidate but are defending democratic principles.
“We call upon the people of Guinea-Bissau, inside and outside the country, to defend electoral truth and democracy,” he said, adding that provisional tallies point to a candidate surpassing 50% of the vote.
Addressing the military directly, Jaló urged the armed forces to remember their constitutional role.
“Your mission is to guarantee democratic legality and popular sovereignty. We do not believe all military personnel support this regime.”
Pressure on International Organizations
Jaló also criticized the international community, saying regional and international bodies, particularly the African Union, ECOWAS, and the CPLP, have a duty to ensure transparency.
“These organizations know how the campaign ended, how the vote was conducted, and how counting unfolded, including attacks in some regions,” he said. “They have access to the tallies. They know who is ahead and who stands to gain from a coup.”
He argued that simply declaring the elections “free and fair” would be insufficient, insisting that the process has been neither free nor fair nor transparent.
“It is necessary to stand on the side of truth, justice, and popular sovereignty,” he said.
An Uncertain Road Ahead
As Guinea-Bissau faces yet another institutional rupture, its latest in a long history of political instability, questions remain about the legitimacy of the military’s claims and the fate of the suspended electoral process.
With borders closed, the president reportedly removed, and the military in control, diplomatic pressure and international monitoring are expected to intensify in the coming days.
For Guineans at home and abroad, protesters say one demand is non-negotiable: the announcement of the true election results.
