Guinea-Bissau Opposition Denounces Military Headquarters Raid
The leader of Guinea-Bissau’s main opposition party has accused the country’s transitional government of attempting to “erase” political dissent following a forceful raid on party headquarters by security forces.
A ‘Frantic Attempt’ to Destroy the PAIGC
Domingos Simões Pereira, leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), lashed out at the authorities in Lisbon on Monday. He claimed the governing military-backed council is intentionally setting his party on a “collision course” with the nation’s Armed Forces.
“The logic of the coup is that the PAIGC is the primary target,” Pereira declared. He reminded the public of the party’s historic role in the liberation struggle and the proclamation of independence, arguing that the current administration is trying to dismantle the very foundations of democracy and freedom of speech that the party helped build.
Forced Evictions and Military Mandates
The accusations follow a dramatic escalation in Bissau last week, where law enforcement officers reportedly broke down doors to occupy the PAIGC headquarters. Local media, including the Bissau Online portal, reported that the operation was carried out to “force the eviction” of the property.
The raid coincided with a deadline set by the Military High Command, which seized power in November 2025. The military had ordered all political party offices to relocate at least 500 meters away from “sovereign body headquarters,” including the presidential palace, hospitals, and military barracks. Both the PAIGC and the Movement for Democratic Alternation (Madem G15) have long held headquarters just meters from the presidential palace.
Pereira denounced the action, stating the party was never formally notified and framing the move as the fulfillment of threats previously made by ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
A Nation in Transition
Guinea-Bissau has been gripped by political uncertainty since the coup d’état on November 26, 2025. The military intervention occurred just one day before the scheduled release of legislative and presidential election results. Following the takeover, the military established a National Transition Council (CNT) to replace parliament and appointed Ilídio Vieira Tó as Prime Minister.
The opposition remains deeply skeptical of the current leadership, characterizing the November events as a “staged coup” intended to pave the way for Embaló—who is currently residing in Morocco—to return to power via new elections scheduled for December 6.
Despite the military occupation of his party’s offices and the tense atmosphere, Pereira expressed his conviction that Guinea-Bissau would eventually return to democratic normalcy, relying on the country’s “historical legacy” to overcome the current crisis.
Image: Pexels – Kaybee Photography
