Coup d'état in Guinea Bissau

Coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau: Armed Forces Seize Power After Uncovering Destabilization Plan with Drug Traffickers

A military junta self-titled the "High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order" has taken absolute control of Guinea-Bissau in a coup d'état that overthrew the president of the republic. According to an official statement read by the head of the President's Military House, Dinis, the Armed Forces have decided to assume all state powers after discovering an "ongoing destabilization plan" orchestrated by national politicians in collaboration with a known national and foreign drug lord. The plan, which also included manipulation of electoral results according to the military, was discovered by the State Information Service along with a stockpile of war weaponry, leading the military to justify their intervention as a necessary measure to protect national security, civil peace, and the territorial integrity of the African nation.

The military junta has implemented draconian measures reflecting total control over the country: the president has been immediately deposed, the National People's Assembly has been dissolved, the ongoing electoral process has been suspended, and all media activities have been suspended until further notice. Additionally, a complete closure of land borders, maritime borders, and national airspace has been decreed, along with a curfew in effect from 18:00 to 06:00 hours until conditions are restored for "constitutional normality." These measures, which effectively plunge the country into total isolation, represent the fourth successful coup d'état in West Africa since 2020, following the pattern of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where military juntas have justified their power grabs citing the inability of civilian governments to guarantee security and combat corruption.

The situation in Guinea-Bissau is particularly concerning given the country's history as a key hub in international drug trafficking toward Europe. The specific mention of a "drug lord's" participation in the destabilization plan suggests that criminal networks had deeply penetrated the state apparatus, an accusation that reflects the chronic political instability of a nation that has experienced more than a dozen coups or attempts since its independence in 1974. The High Military Command has appealed for calm and citizen collaboration, but the suspension of all constitutional guarantees and absolute control of information create perfect conditions for human rights abuses and a prolonged humanitarian crisis.

The international community, particularly the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations, faces another critical challenge in a region already plagued by instability. While world leaders condemn the coup and demand a return to constitutional order, the military's justification about narco-political infiltration presents a complex dilemma. This event not only represents another setback for democracy in Africa but threatens to further destabilize a region where jihadism and transnational organized crime already exploit power vacuums. The people of Guinea-Bissau, trapped between corrupt politicians and coup-plotting soldiers, once again pay the price for their elites' failure.

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