Cars driving on the road in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday.
Darcisio Barbosa/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Darcisio Barbosa/AP
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau – Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau appeared on state television after reports of gunfire near the presidential palace on Wednesday, three days after national elections were held, saying they had seized power in the country.
“In order to restore national and public order, the High Military Command has decided to immediately remove the President of the Republic from office and suspend all institutions of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau until new orders,” Denis N’Chama, spokesman for the country’s military high command, said in a statement.
He said this was in response to the “discovery of an ongoing scheme” aimed at destabilizing the country, adding that “domestic and foreign nationals” attempted to “manipulate the electoral results in order to implement this scheme”.
The troops said they were immediately suspending the ongoing electoral process and the activities of media outlets, as well as closing all borders.
Presidential and legislative elections were held on Sunday. Outgoing President Umaro Sissoko Embalo and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed victory on Tuesday, although official provisional results are not expected until Thursday.
The West African country has already experienced four coups and several attempted coups since independence, including one reported last month.
The sound of gunfire was heard near the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the capital of Guinea-Bissau around noon on Wednesday.
An Associated Press journalist saw roads leading to the palace closed, with heavily armed and masked soldiers manning checkpoints.
<a href