Brazzaville: Ousted Guinea Bissau president Umaro Sissoco Embalo has arrived in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo after leaving his country following a military takeover that interrupted the election process.
Embalo left Guinea Bissau earlier this week and first traveled to Senegal before moving to Brazzaville. Officials in Brazzaville confirmed his arrival but did not share details about how long he intends to stay or whether he plans to seek political asylum.
The military removed Embalo from power shortly before the results of last weekend’s presidential and legislative elections were to be announced. The army then named Major General Horta Inta a as transitional president and later appointed Ilidio Vieira Te as prime minister.
Regional governments and international organizations have raised concerns over the sudden intervention. The African Union and the West African regional bloc ECOWAS have suspended Guinea Bissau following the coup and have urged the military to restore constitutional rule.
Some political leaders in neighboring Senegal and other regional analysts have described the power shift as an attempt to block election results and prevent a possible change in leadership.
Calm has slowly returned to the capital Bissau after reports of gunfire and strict checkpoints in the first days following the takeover. Basic government services have resumed, although travel restrictions and curfews were imposed earlier in the week.
The new military leadership has promised to guide the country through a one year transition period before holding new elections. However, political observers say the timeline and transparency of this process remain unclear.
Embalo has not made any official public statement since arriving in Congo, and it is uncertain whether he plans to stay abroad permanently or attempt a political return.
Guinea Bissau has experienced repeated instability and coups for decades, and many citizens say they hope this crisis will not lead to further unrest. However, the future political direction of the country remains uncertain.