Guinea-Bissau Military Seizes Power in Coup, General Hortona Sworn In

Military Coup in Guinea-Bissau

• ⚡ General Hortona was inaugurated as the head of the military government following a coup in Guinea-Bissau.
• 🎯 The military high command stated their intention to vigorously combat drug trafficking, state corruption, political corruption, and corruption of Guinean society.

Seizure of Power and Arrests

• ⚠️ Gunfire and armed soldiers taking control of roads preceded the military's appearance on state television, claiming they had seized power.
• 🚨 The soldiers stated their actions were a reaction to the discovery of an ongoing plan to destabilize the country.
• 🔒 President Omaro Sissoco Embaló confirmed he had been deposed and was being held at military headquarters, stating he was not free to talk.

Election Dispute and Opposition Reaction

• 🗳️ The coup occurred just before provisional election results were due, in a country with a history of four coups since independence.
• ⚖️ President Embaló's political opponent, Fernando Diaz, claimed Embaló's arrest was staged to disrupt the elections and asserted his own victory based on polling station reports.
• 📢 The opposition called for residents to protest against the coup and demand the official release of the election results.