In a swift political maneuver, Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dismissed Prime Minister Geraldo Joao Martins on Wednesday, immediately appointing Rui Duarte Barros as his successor. This significant development follows what Embalo described as an “attempted coup” in the West African nation.
A presidential decree, which was shared with AFP, confirmed Martins’ dismissal, stating, “Geraldo Joao Martins is dismissed from his post as prime minister. The decree comes into force immediately.” Subsequently, Embalo named Rui Duarte Barros, a former finance minister and prime minister of a transitional government in the early 2000s, as the new prime minister.
The political turmoil escalated following a violent confrontation in Bissau, the capital city, involving the National Guard and special forces of the presidential guard on November 30. The clash resulted in two fatalities.
According to a report by The Guardian, President Embalo announced the occurrence of an “attempted coup” and took the drastic step of dissolving parliament. He declared that Guinea-Bissau, a country that has witnessed a turbulent history of coups since its independence from Portugal in 1974, was in crisis and announced plans for fresh elections.
In an unprecedented move, Embalo assumed control of the interior and defence ministry portfolios. However, he stated that Martins would remain in office during this transition.
Both Martins and Barros are affiliated with the PAIGC party, which leads an opposition coalition victorious in the June elections. Barros, with his prior experience as prime minister and finance minister, steps into a challenging political landscape.
President Embalo, elected for a five-year term in December 2019, had previously survived an overthrow attempt in February 2022, highlighting the ongoing political instability in the country of two million people.
