In a sudden and serious event, the military in Guinea-Bissau has taken control of the government. This has stopped the country's young democracy and forced the president to leave the country. This happened just days after a presidential election that caused a lot of argument. This is the latest problem in the West African nation's history of political trouble. The armed forces have set up a temporary government, closed the country's borders, and cancelled the election. In that election, both the current president and his main opponent said they had won.
The crisis started after the presidential vote on Sunday. Both President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his rival, Fernando Dias, said they were the winner. This created a very difficult and dangerous situation. On Wednesday, soldiers appeared on national television. They said they were taking "total control" of the country. They formed a new group called the "high military command for the restoration of order," which immediately stopped the election process.
People in the capital city, Bissau, said they heard a lot of gunfire near important government buildings on that day. The president who was removed from power, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, first went to neighbouring Senegal. He later travelled to the Republic of Congo. The military quickly chose a new temporary president, General Horta Inta-A, and a new prime minister, Ilidio Vieira Te.
It is not completely clear why the military did this. Some experts think they wanted to stop a long and possibly violent fight between the two candidates. Others worry it might be a planned coup to help the former president.
Other countries and world leaders are very critical of this action. They are demanding that the country returns to its normal democratic process immediately. This event creates new worries about stability in the region and shows the ongoing challenges for democracy there. The future of Guinea-Bissau is now very uncertain.