Guinea-Bissau’s military has confirmed Gen. Horta N’Ta as the head of a one-year transition government following political unrest triggered by the recent presidential election. State television announced Thursday that the military high command inaugurated N’Ta as leader of the junta, consolidating control after days of uncertainty.
Gen. N’Ta, who previously served as army chief of staff, is widely regarded as a close ally of deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. Embaló’s current whereabouts remain unclear, though he told French media on Wednesday that soldiers arrested him amid gunfire near the presidential palace.
Opposition figures have disputed the military’s narrative, claiming that Embaló staged the crisis to avoid acknowledging an electoral defeat. Opposition leader Fernando Dias said, “Umaro lost the elections, and instead of accepting the result, he fabricated a coup d’état.” Dias described the events as “a repeated scheme during elections” and vowed to resist what he called a manipulation of the electoral process.
Guinea-Bissau, with a population of approximately 2.2 million, has a history of coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal over 50 years ago. Analysts note that the country’s strategic position as a trafficking corridor between Latin America and Europe has contributed to ongoing political instability.
