Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo announces his candidacy for a second term amid claims from the opposition that he is not the legitimate president. The ECOWAS mission has withdrawn from the country due to threats. Embalo’s political maneuvers and the challenges to his presidency raise concerns about escalating tensions in this West African nation as elections near.
Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the President of Guinea-Bissau, has confirmed his intention to seek a second term in the upcoming November elections, despite ongoing opposition claims regarding the legitimacy of his presidency. The political landscape remains tumultuous, as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently withdrew its delegation from Guinea-Bissau, citing threats of deportation amid the political unrest.
Embalo, who has previously dissolved a parliament dominated by opposition parties, expressed his commitment to run for re-election following diplomatic visits to Russia, Azerbaijan, and Hungary. According to Guinea-Bissau’s constitution, a presidential term spans five years and is renewable once. However, the complexities surrounding Embalo’s first term have sparked disputes, with the opposition asserting that his term concluded earlier this year.
The announcement of Embalo’s candidacy is likely to intensify existing tensions within the nation, which has faced a history of coups since its independence from Portugal over five decades ago. After winning the election on November 24, 2019, and officially taking office on February 27, 2020, his victory was controversially validated by the Supreme Court months later.
The opposition argues that Embalo’s mandate should have ended on February 27, 2023, while the Supreme Court determined it would continue until September 4 of that year. As elections are planned for November 30, Embalo aims to stay in power, yet the opposition refuses to recognize him as president, having issued warnings about potential protests and strikes.
Embalo has reported surviving two coup attempts within the past three years, the latest involving a conflict between the national and presidential guards in December 2023, leading to his decision to dissolve the opposition-led parliament, which he accused of being ineffective.
In summary, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo’s bid for a second term amid opposition disputes highlights significant political instability in Guinea-Bissau. With the ECOWAS mission’s exit and the opposition’s refusal to recognize his presidency, the country faces an uncertain political future as elections approach. The history of coups and ongoing tensions underscores the fragility of the situation.
Original Source: www.tvcnews.tv
