Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau have announced General Horta Inta-A as the leader of a new military junta, cementing a coup just days after a disputed presidential election. The military high command declared that the junta will oversee a one-year transition period, according to a statement broadcast on state television.
The announcement was made on November 27, 2025, in Bissau, where General Inta-A took an oath of office. He previously served as the army chief of staff and was considered a close ally of ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, whose whereabouts remain unclear.
The coup followed a contested presidential election, with the main opposition candidate alleging that the military acted to block his victory. Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations, has been plagued by coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974.
International observers expressed concern that the takeover undermines democratic governance in West Africa, a region already destabilized by multiple military interventions. The junta has pledged to oversee a one-year transition period before returning the country to civilian rule.
