Embalo, who was elected to a five-year time period in 2019, survived a failed overthrow in 2022
Guinea-Bissau, Africa:
Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Saturday mentioned this week’s lethal violence involving members of the Nationwide Guard was an “attempted coup” as the military ordered them again to barracks.
The unrest between members of the Nationwide Guard and particular forces of the presidential guard on Thursday night time within the capital Bissau left at the least two individuals useless.
Embalo, who was in Dubai attending the COP28 local weather convention, arrived in Bissau on Saturday and mentioned an “attempted coup d’etat” had prevented him from returning.
“I must tell you this act will have serious consequences,” he added.
Embalo mentioned the coup try was ready earlier than celebrations on November 16 commemorating the anniversary of the armed forces.
Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, the small West African nation has seen a sequence of coups and coup makes an attempt.
Embalo, who was elected to a five-year time period in December 2019, survived a failed overthrow in February 2022.
A army official, talking anonymously because of the delicate nature of the scenario, mentioned six troopers have been injured within the preventing and evacuated to neighbouring Senegal.
Calm had returned by midday on Friday to the small nation with a historical past of instability, following the announcement that the military had captured Colonel Victor Tchongo, commander of the Nationwide Guard.
On Saturday the safety presence in Bissau was diminished, however troopers have been nonetheless seen round sure strategic buildings such because the presidential palace, the judicial police headquarters and a few ministries.
Some Nationwide Guard officers and troopers fled into the inside of the nation, the military mentioned in a press release Saturday, with out specifying numbers.
“The General Staff of the armed forces hereby informs them that they must return to their place of assignment,” the assertion continued.
ECOWAS expresses ‘full solidarity’ –
Regional bloc the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) mentioned it “strongly condemns the violence and all attempts to disrupt the constitutional order and rule of law in Guinea-Bissau”.
“ECOWAS further calls for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the incident in accordance with the law,” the Abuja-based organisation added in its assertion on Saturday.
The regional bloc additionally expressed “its full solidarity with the people and constitutional authorities of Guinea-Bissau”.
A spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, had known as Friday for calm and urged the safety forces and the military “to continue refraining from interference in national politics”.
Members of the Nationwide Guard Thursday night stormed a police station to extract Finance Minister Souleiman Seidi and Treasury Secretary Antonio Monteiro, in response to military and intelligence officers.
The 2 authorities members have been being questioned concerning the withdrawal of $10 million from state accounts. They’d been detained below orders of state prosecutors, who’re named by the president.
Embalo mentioned somebody despatched Tchongo to take away Seidi from detention and introduced that an investigatory fee could be fashioned on Monday.
The Nationwide Guard is below the management of the inside ministry, which, like most ministries within the nation, is dominated by the PAIGC occasion whose coalition gained the June 2023 elections.
The 2 authorities members have been detained once more after the military eliminated them from Nationwide Guard management.
Authorities spokesman Francisco Muniro Conte mentioned Saturday: “We have always opted for the application of the law. A president who is elected must complete his term of office.”
“We cannot obstruct people who are facing justice, if the law is really respected,” he added.
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