Umaru Sissoko Embaló

President Umaru Sissoko Embaló of Guinea-Bissau announced on Monday the dissolution of the parliament in the wake of a thwarted coup. Tensions escalated in Bissau on Thursday night as internal military factions clashed, and the turmoil persisted into Friday. The West African president will call early legislative elections after a meeting with the Council of State, Jornal de Angola reports.

The catalyst for the unrest was the release of an opposition minister by National Guard soldiers, previously detained in a corruption probe. The National Guard, aligned with the dominant African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde within the Ministry of Interior, played a pivotal role after their coalition’s triumph in the June 2023 legislative elections.

Elements of the National Guard sought to liberate detained ministers Suleiman Sidi and Antonio Montero, resulting in their arrest at the Judicial Police center. Guinea-Bissau has a history of coup attempts since gaining independence in 1974. Embalo had previously dissolved the parliament in May 2022, citing corruption among lawmakers, and notably survived a coup attempt in February 2022.

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