Embalo's Intent to Return to Guinea-Bissau
Omaro Sissoco Embalo, the former president of Guinea-Bissau, has publicly declared his intention to run for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for December 6, 2026, during a statement made from his current residence in Morocco, where he has been living in exile since his ousting. This announcement comes ten months after a military coup that removed him from power, and it is anticipated that these elections will restore constitutional order in the nation. In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Embalo affirmed, "I will be a candidate for the presidential elections," while expressing his commitment to return to his homeland, albeit without specifying a particular date for his return.
In recent days, supporters of the Democratic Alternation Movement – Group 15 (Madem G15) have been circulating on social media that Embalo's return is expected on October 4. When General Horta N'Tam, the head of the transitional phase, was questioned last week about the potential return of Embalo, he remarked that "any citizen of Guinea-Bissau is free to return to their country as long as they are not held accountable for anything." He further stated, "Even those who insult me on social media can return if they wish." Notably, the transitional charter, adopted in December 2025, prohibits General N'Tam from running in the forthcoming presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau.
Political Landscape and Historical Context
Since November 26, 2025, the country has been under military rule following the coup that ousted Embalo and suspended the electoral process, which occurred just before the anticipated announcement of provisional results for presidential and legislative elections. Observers have raised doubts regarding whether Embalo orchestrated the coup to halt an electoral process that seemed to be unfavorable for him. The military justified their actions by claiming a need to ensure "national security and restore order," alleging that intelligence services uncovered a plot to destabilize the nation involving local drug barons.
Subsequently, the military council organized a constitutional referendum to transition from a "semi-parliamentary" system to a strong presidential system. Voters approved the new constitution with a 70% majority on August 30. This new constitution grants the head of state the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and the cabinet, as well as dissolve parliament. The opposition has called for a boycott of the referendum, including the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, a historic party that led the country to independence in 1974, condemning the referendum as occurring amidst a climate that restricts public freedoms.
The upcoming general elections on December 6 are expected to solidify the return of civilian rule in a politically tense environment. Guinea-Bissau, a Portuguese-speaking African nation located on the western coast of the continent between Senegal and Guinea-Conakry, has witnessed significant political instability, experiencing four coups and numerous attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal. The ongoing instability and poverty have allowed drug traffickers to infiltrate the country, turning it into a transit point for cocaine smuggling between Latin America and Europe.
As reported by hespress.com.
