Coup Strikes Guinea-Bissau Amidst Electoral Tensions

Major-General Horta Inta-a was installed as Guinea-Bissau's transitional president following a military coup. The move ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalo just before election results were announced. The coup, condemned by international bodies, has disrupted the capital amid concerns about its impact on the narcotics trade.

In a dramatic shift in Guinea-Bissau's political landscape, Major-General Horta Inta-a took over as transitional president following a swift military coup, unseating the country's civilian leader, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. This military takeover, occurring before the announcement of election results, marks the ninth coup in West and Central Africa over a five-year period, perpetuating instability in the cocaine trafficking hub.

The coup leaders, calling themselves the 'High Military Command for the Restoration of Order', justified their action by alleging a conspiracy between politicians and drug barons aimed at destabilizing the nation. Major-General Inta-a, flanked by military officials, claimed the coup was necessary to thwart attempts by narcotraffickers to seize Guinea-Bissau's democracy, pledging a one-year transitional period.

The international community swiftly condemned the coup, with the African Union and ECOWAS demanding the restoration of constitutional order and the release of detained officials. The situation in the capital remains tense, with businesses shuttered and residents apprehensive, amid lingering concerns over the ongoing influence of drug trade in the nation's politics.

(With inputs from agencies.)