Guinea-Bissau president confirms coup attempt, says it was thwarted

Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo confirmed a coup attempt that occurred at the government palace on Tuesday, saying it was unsuccessful.

“Our republican defense and security forces were able to stop this evil,” Embalo said after a five-hour attack on the government building that was hosting an official meeting with the president and prime minister, The Associated Press reported. 

It is unclear who was behind the attack, but the individuals shot at the building with machine guns and AK-47s. 

Embalo described the attempted coup as an “attack on democracy” and that it “also has to do with our fight against narco-trafficking.”

The small West African country was a known drug trafficking transit point in the 2000s, according to the AP. 

Embalo was elected as president in 2019, with objections from his opponent. The country has had dozens of coup attempts and four successful coups in its history. 

“ECOWAS condemns the coup attempt and holds the military responsible for the physical integrity of President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and members of his government,” Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said in a statement during the coup attempt.  

Multiple countries surrounding Guinea-Bissau have seen military-led coups in the past two years, raising alarms for ECOWAS and the international community.