Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The opposition in Guinea-Bissau has signaled its readiness to engage in dialogue with the military authorities that seized power in November 2025, proposing negotiations aimed at restoring constitutional order and charting a path forward after elections were abruptly interrupted.
In a political manifesto released on social media, the Inclusive Alliance Platform (PAI-Terra Ranka), led by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), and the Inclusive Patriotic Alliance (API-Cabas Garandi) outlined what they described as a structured and patriotic way out of the country’s deepening institutional crisis.
First Public Recognition of High Military Command Since the November 26 Takeover
The political turmoil began on November 26, 2025, when the military staged a coup that halted the electoral process initiated on November 23, including both legislative and presidential polls.
In their joint document, the opposition coalitions made what they termed a “solemn appeal” to General Horta Inta-a, the transitional president installed after the coup, urging him to embrace “fraternal and patriotic dialogue” to resolve the impasse.
The proposed talks, they said, would focus on restoring constitutional legality and evaluating alternatives to the publication of the contested election results.
Notably, this marks the first time the two opposition platforms, which claim victory for their joint presidential candidate, have publicly acknowledged the authority of the self-proclaimed High Military Command that orchestrated the takeover.
Call for Inclusive and Internationally Mediated Talks
In a passage framed as an appeal to national unity, the manifesto calls on civilians and members of the armed forces alike to “mobilize, not to avenge the past, but to build the future,” urging the construction of “bridges for frank, responsible, and patriotic dialogue between the sons and daughters of Guinea-Bissau.”
The opposition proposes that negotiations include representatives of both presidential candidacies: that of deposed former president Umaro Sissoco Embaló and that of Fernando Dias, the candidate backed by PAI-Terra Ranka and API-Cabas Garandi.
To lend credibility and neutrality to the process, the platforms suggest that discussions be mediated by international and regional bodies, including the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), and the United Nations.
While it remains unclear how the military leadership will respond to the overture, the manifesto underscores a shift in tone from confrontation to negotiation, as political actors seek a negotiated settlement to prevent further instability in the fragile West African state.
