CPLP Demands Release of Guinea-Bissau Assembly President
The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) has issued a “vehement” condemnation regarding the preventive detention of Domingos Simões Pereira, the President of the National People’s Assembly of Guinea-Bissau. In a strongly worded statement released Monday, the Lusophone bloc demanded his immediate and unconditional release.
A Threat to Democratic Order
The CPLP specifically targeted the Superior Military Court of Guinea-Bissau for its role in decreeing the coercive measures that led to Pereira’s imprisonment last Friday. Currently suspended from the organization, Guinea-Bissau was urged by the CPLP to facilitate the “urgent resumption of constitutional order.” The bloc described this restoration as an “indispensable condition” for lasting peace and stability in the West African nation.
Reaffirming its commitment to the “democratic rule of law,” the CPLP expressed unwavering solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau and their aspirations for freedom and national development.
Context of a Political Crisis
Pereira, who also leads the PAIGC party, is currently held at the Second Precinct of the Public Order Police in Bissau. His legal troubles began following a military coup on November 26. While he was briefly released to house arrest under a statement of identity and residence, he was barred from moving freely before being returned to a cell.
In June, judicial authorities named Pereira as a suspect in an alleged coup attempt that reportedly occurred just a month before the general elections on November 23. His defense team has dismissed the allegations, labeling the process as blatant political persecution.
Election Turmoil and Military Rule
The crisis stems from a disputed election cycle where Pereira’s party supported candidate Fernando Dias da Costa. While Costa claimed a first-round victory over incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the military seized power before official results could be certified. The military deposed Embaló and arrested Pereira, though opposition figures claim the coup was a staged event orchestrated by the former president to maintain control behind the scenes.
The Military High Command now governing the country has scheduled fresh elections for December 6. They have also pushed through a new Constitution that significantly expands the powers of the head of state, which is set for a public referendum on August 30.
International Isolation
Guinea-Bissau was officially suspended from the CPLP in December 2025 following the coup. The nine-member organization—which includes Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste—continues to pressure the military leadership to return the country to civilian rule.
Image: Pexels – Felipe Esono Nguema
