Senegal’s Foreign Ministry said Embaló arrived in Dakar “safe and sound” late Thursday aboard a government-chartered aircraft, following coordination with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which had been negotiating his transfer amid escalating tensions in Bissau.
The military in Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday declared it had taken full control of the state and later swore in army chief Gen. Horta N’Tam as transitional president for a one-year period. The takeover occurred as the country awaited provisional results from presidential and parliamentary elections held on Sunday.
The junta suspended the electoral process, blocked the publication of results and imposed a nightly curfew, alleging it acted to prevent an alleged plot by unnamed politicians backed by a “well-known drug baron.”
Residents in the capital reported heavy gunfire during the coup, with many rushing indoors or fleeing crowded areas. Shops and markets remained closed on Thursday as soldiers patrolled the streets.
Reactions among citizens were mixed. Some expressed frustration over the renewed instability, while others voiced cautious support for the army, hoping it would stabilize the country after years of political turbulence.
Both Embaló and opposition contender Fernando Dias had claimed victory in the presidential race. Dias, backed by former Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira, told local media he considered himself president-elect and accused the authorities of orchestrating an “organised coup” to block the announcement of results. Government sources said Dias, Pereira and Interior Minister Botché Candé had been detained.
Guinea-Bissau, situated between Senegal and Guinea, has experienced repeated bouts of military intervention since independence from Portugal in 1974 and is frequently described as a major cocaine transit hub. Embaló, a former army general who took office in 2020, has previously claimed to have survived several coup attempts, though critics accuse him of exploiting crises to consolidate power.
Regional and international organisations condemned the military takeover. ECOWAS suspended Guinea-Bissau from all decision-making bodies and called for the immediate restoration of constitutional order. The African Union and the UN Secretary-General also urged the junta to release all detainees and allow the electoral commission to announce the results.
Borders that were closed during the coup were reopened on Thursday, according to military officials.