Guinea-Bissau soldiers announce Gen. Horta N’Ta as junta leader, cementing coup days after election

BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau (AP) — Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau on Thursday announced a new junta leader for the country, cementing a forceful takeover of power that began after the country’s presidential election.

The military high command inaugurated Gen. Horta N’Ta as the head of the military government, which will oversee a one-year transition period, according to declaration announced on state television.

N’Ta was the army chief of staff until the coup and a close ally of deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

Embaló’s whereabouts remained unknown Thursday. He told French media Wednesday that he was arrested by soldiers as gunshots rang out near the presidential palace.

The opposition, meanwhile, alleged Embaló had fabricated the coup to avoid an election defeat in Sunday’s closely contested presidential vote.

The military takeover and the reported arrest of Embaló was “fabricated” to disrupt election results expected Thursday, according to his rival Fernando Dias, who, like Embalo, claimed to have won the vote.

The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims by Dias, a member of the Social Renewal Party.

The opposition African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde and Dias had called on residents to stage protests against the coup and demand publication of the election results. But on Thursday morning, activities appeared to be normal in the capital Bissau, with businesses and public transport gradually picking up.

The latest in a string of coups

Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, has been dogged by coups and attempted coups since its 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 has fueled its political crises.

The reported coup is the latest in a surge of military takeovers in West Africa, where democracy recently has been challenged by disputed elections that analysts say could embolden militaries.

Gunshots rang out in the main city of Bissau on Wednesday just days after the tense presidential election, which Embalo and Dias both claimed to have won.

In a scene that has become familiar in the region, military officers appeared on state television and claimed they had seized power. Embaló, who was seeking a rare second term, then told French media he had been arrested while the election commission’s office was sealed.

Dias, 47, said in his video that he escaped custody “through a backdoor” after reports he was arrested by soldiers. He vowed to fight back.

“Umaro lost the elections, and instead of accepting the result, he fabricated a coup d’état,” Dias said. “Once again, we, we have been the target of false coup d’état. … We will liberate ourselves.”

This week’s elections were held at a critical time for the African country as Embaló, a 53-year-old former army general, faced a legitimacy crisis. The opposition said his tenure had long expired and refused to recognize him as president.

The military officers who announced they had deposed the president cited the “discovery of an ongoing plan … to manipulate electoral results,” according to a spokesperson, Dinis N’Tchama, who was flanked by others during the televised statement.

The “scheme was set up by some national politicians with the participation of a well-known drug lord, and domestic and foreign nationals,” N’Tchama said.

Several international bodies and countries have condemned the reported coup and the United Nations said it was following the situation “with deep concern.”

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Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.