Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, 51, declared on Thursday that he will not run for a second term in the upcoming November elections. This announcement could lead to further political instability in the already turbulent nation.
Embaló, who assumed office in January 2020 after securing 54% of the vote, attributed his decision to the influence of his wife, according to Reuters.
In a recent meeting with his council of ministers, Embaló ruled out three notable opposition figures—Domingos Simões Pereira, Braima Camará, and Nuno Gomes Nabiam—as possible successors but did not propose any alternative candidates. His unexpected decision raises concerns about potential instability in Guinea-Bissau, a country with a history of coups and political unrest.
Having taken over from a politically fragmented government, Embaló, a former army general and prime minister under President José Mário Vaz, has faced significant challenges during his tenure. He has survived two coup attempts, with the latest occurring in December 2023, which led him to dissolve the parliament for the second time.
Following the first dissolution in 2022, parliamentary elections were held, but Embaló’s efforts to amend the constitution and eliminate the semi-presidential system were unsuccessful. The current political structure permits the majority party or coalition to form the government, but the president retains the power to dismiss it, often leading to deadlock.
In addition to political strife, Guinea-Bissau has recently gained notoriety as a major cocaine trafficking hub. Authorities seized 2.63 tons of cocaine from a plane arriving from Venezuela on Saturday, highlighting the ongoing issues the country faces.
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