Fear and uncertainty gripped the capital of Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday as soldiers took strategic positions near the presidential palace following a burst of heavy gunfire. This alarming development comes as the West African nation, plagued by poverty and a history of coups, anxiously awaits the official results of a presidential election claimed by both major candidates.
Military Presence and Panic in the Streets
AFP journalists on the scene reported that soldiers from the presidential guard and an elite gendarmerie unit moved in to control the main road leading to the presidential palace. The area was swiftly deserted as calm returned and the shooting ceased, at least for the moment.
The sudden violence triggered panic among the local population. Hundreds of people, both on foot and in vehicles, were seen fleeing the area to seek safety as the shots rang out. The whereabouts of the incumbent president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who was widely favoured to win re-election, were not immediately known by midday on Wednesday.
A Tense Electoral Standoff
The military deployment casts a dark shadow over an election that had, until this point, been conducted peacefully. Both President Embalo and his main opponent, Fernando Dias, have already declared victory, offering little proof to support their claims.
Embalo's campaign spokesperson, Oscar Barbosa, stated on Tuesday that "there won't be a second round" and that the president "will have a second mandate." In a parallel move, Dias proclaimed his own victory in a video posted on social media, asserting, "This election has been won, it has been won in the first round."
This scenario is hauntingly familiar for Guinea-Bissau. The last presidential election in 2019 was followed by a four-month political crisis after both main candidates claimed victory. The current situation is further complicated by the exclusion of the country's main opposition party, PAIGC, from the ballot after the Supreme Court ruled they filed their applications too late.
A History of Instability and International Concern
The nation's volatile political landscape is a major source of concern. Guinea-Bissau has experienced four successful coups since independence, along with multiple attempted power grabs. A passerby fleeing the chaotic scene summed up the national mood to AFP, remarking, "we're used to it in Bissau."
This instability has dire consequences. Guinea-Bissau remains one of the world's poorest countries and has become a major hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe. The political chaos facilitates this illicit trade, creating a vicious cycle of corruption and underdevelopment.
In a bid to maintain order, a significant security presence of more than 6,780 security personnel, including forces from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Stabilisation Force, was deployed for the election and the sensitive post-election period. The nation now holds its breath, with official provisional vote results expected on Thursday.
