Guinea-Bissau’s new military ruler moves to consolidate power after coup | Military News

General Horta Inta-A has appointed a new prime minister amid growing condemnation of the military coup in the West African nation.

Guinea-Bissau’s new military ruler, President Oumar Sissoko, has moved to consolidate power days after the overthrow of Embalo.

In an order on Friday, General Horta Inta-e announced the appointment of Finance Minister Ilidio Vieira Te as the West African country’s new prime minister.

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The people of Guinea-Bissau “expect a lot” from their new leaders, Inta-e told Te during a brief swearing-in ceremony, adding that he hopes the new military government and the prime minister “will continue to work hand in hand”.

Inta-A – who was sworn in as Guinea-Bissau’s transitional president on Thursday – and Te are both close to ousted President Emballo.

Te previously served as campaign director for Embalo’s party in his government and in last Sunday’s presidential election.

Friday’s announcement came just days after military officials said they had taken “complete control” of the country during a televised address on the eve of the expected release of provisional election results.

Embalho was seeking re-election against his main rival, Fernando Dias. Both candidates had declared victory even before the results, which have still not been released.

Regional and world leaders have condemned the military coup, one of several that have occurred in Guinea-Bissau since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974.

The African Union announced on Friday it was suspending Guinea-Bissau “with immediate effect”, shortly after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) expelled Guinea-Bissau from “all decision-making bodies”.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the military’s “unacceptable violations of democratic principles”, while the EU urged a “rapid return to constitutional order and the resumption of the electoral process”.

The Prime Minister of Senegal, where Emballo has taken refuge since the coup, condemned the coup as a “sham” and called for the electoral process to be allowed to continue.

“The (electoral) commission should be able to declare the winner,” Ousmane Sonko told lawmakers on Friday.

Opposition candidate Dias told AFP news agency on Thursday he believed he had defeated Embalho in Sunday’s presidential election. He alleged that Embalo had “organized” a power grab to prevent him from assuming office.

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who was in Guinea-Bissau during the coup as head of the West African election observer group, also accused Mbalo of staging a “formal coup” to remain in power.

“An army does not take over governments and allow a sitting president to address a press conference and announce that he has been arrested,” Jonathan told reporters.

peaceful return to the capital

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said on Friday that at least 18 people, including government officials, magistrates and opposition politicians, were arbitrarily detained during the coup, and most were still being held in secret.

“I am deeply concerned by reports of human rights violations in Guinea-Bissau following the coup, including arbitrary arrests and detentions of government officials and opposition leaders, as well as threats against media houses and journalists,” Turki said in a statement.

He called for the immediate release of all those detained as well as a return to constitutional order.

“Military authorities must ensure that they fully respect everyone’s fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly,” Turki said.

Meanwhile, calm returned to the capital Bissau on Friday as the new military rulers lifted a nightly curfew imposed during the coup.

People and vehicles were roaming the streets of Bissau after the army posts were removed. Main stock exchanges and markets in remote districts, as well as commercial banks, have also reopened.

“I resumed my work because if I stay at home, I will have nothing to eat,” street vendor Boubacar Embalou, 25, told AFP news agency.