Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau) – Guinea-Bissau’s National Transition Council (CNT) has declared that the country has no interest in returning to the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), accusing the organization of serving as a platform for Portugal’s geopolitical influence rather than respecting the sovereignty of member states.
The position was announced on Wednesday, 10 June, through a statement read in Bissau by CNT spokesperson Fernando Vaz, a day after Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel called for the restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau and the release of opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira, leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC).
Guinea-Bissau was suspended from the CPLP following the 26 November 2025 military takeover, which disrupted the electoral process and led to the detention of several opposition figures, including Simões Pereira.
In its statement, the CNT rejected calls from Portugal and the CPLP for a return to constitutional normality, describing such interventions as unacceptable interference in Guinea-Bissau’s internal affairs.
The transition body argued that Guinea-Bissau’s dignity and independence were achieved through the country’s liberation struggle and do not depend on recognition or approval from international organizations.
“The dignity and independence of the Guinean people were conquered through the national liberation struggle,” the CNT said, insisting that the country would not accept external attempts to determine its political direction.
The council also criticized the circumstances surrounding Guinea-Bissau’s suspension from the CPLP, describing the decision as “abusive, illegal, and anti-statutory.” It argued that the measure did not follow the organization’s internal procedures requiring consensus among member states.
The CNT further questioned the role of the CPLP in Guinea-Bissau’s electoral processes, claiming that the organization had never financed elections in the country. According to the council, previous elections were largely funded through Guinea-Bissau’s national budget, and future elections would follow the same approach.
“Financing electoral processes by Guinea-Bissau demonstrates its capacity to fully assume its sovereign responsibilities, rejecting any attempt at external conditioning,” the statement said.
The council accused Portugal of adopting what it described as a paternalistic approach towards Guinea-Bissau and warned against what it considers interference in national political and judicial matters.
“The country will not submit to examinations of good behavior dictated by foreign powers,” the CNT stated, adding that Guinea-Bissau would continue pursuing development based on independence and self-determination.
The military-backed transition authorities also warned that further external interventions could have “serious consequences” for bilateral relations, although they did not specify what measures could follow.
The CNT concluded by insisting that decisions regarding Guinea-Bissau’s political future belong exclusively to the country’s institutions and citizens, rejecting any role for foreign actors in shaping the nation’s transition process.
Leave a Reply