On Thursday, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau announced a new junta leader in the country, solidifying the forceful seizure of power that began after the country's presidential elections, UNN reports with reference to AP.
Details
The high military command appointed General Horta N'Ta as the head of the military government, which will oversee a one-year transitional period, according to a declaration announced on state television.
N'Ta was the army chief of staff before the coup and a close ally of the ousted president Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
Embaló's whereabouts remained unknown on Thursday. On Wednesday, he told French media that he had been arrested by soldiers when shots were fired near the presidential palace.
Meanwhile, the opposition claimed that Embaló fabricated the coup to avoid defeat in Sunday's presidential election, which the opposition dominated.
The military takeover and reports of Embaló's arrest were "fabricated" to derail the election results expected on Thursday, according to his rival Fernando Dias, who, like Embaló, claimed to have won the vote.
However, the Associated Press notes that it was unable to independently verify the claims of Dias, a member of the Social Renewal Party.
The opposition African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde and Dias called on residents to stage protests against the coup and demand the release of election results. But on Thursday morning, activity in the capital Bissau seemed normal, with businesses and public transport gradually resuming.
Additionally
The publication notes that Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been plagued by coups and coup attempts since gaining independence from Portugal more than 50 years ago, including a coup attempt in October. The country of 2.2 million people is known as a hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe, a trend that experts say fuels its political crises.
The coup report is the latest in a wave of military takeovers in West Africa, where democracy has recently been challenged by controversial elections that analysts say could empower the military.
Several international organizations and countries condemned the reported coup, with the United Nations stating that it was monitoring the situation "with deep concern."