Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau declared they were taking “total control” of the country three days after a contested election in which both leading presidential candidates said they had won. In a statement read at army headquarters in the capital, Bissau, and broadcast on state television, the officers said they were suspending the electoral process, closing the borders and forming “the high military command for the restoration of order,” which they said would govern until further notice.

Earlier on Wednesday, gunfire was reported near the election commission headquarters, the presidential palace and the interior ministry, but it was not clear who fired the shots.

The takeover comes amid a long history of coups and attempted coups since Guinea-Bissau gained independence from Portugal in 1974. The country, home to roughly 2.2 million people, had an average annual income of about $963 in 2024, according to the World Bank. In 2008 the United Nations described Guinea-Bissau as a “narco state” because of its role as a transit hub for cocaine trafficking; analysts say the coastline, river deltas and the 88 islands of the Bijagós archipelago have been used as discreet drop-off points by Colombian drug cartels.

Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was seeking a second term — a rare feat in a country where no president has secured re-election in three decades. Both Embaló and his main challenger, Fernando Dias, claimed victory in the first-round vote held on Sunday.

A spokesperson for Embaló accused gunmen linked to Dias of firing shots, while an ally of Dias accused Embaló of inventing or exaggerating a coup attempt as a pretext to declare an emergency and cling to power. Neither side produced evidence to support their claims.

The election commission had been scheduled to announce provisional presidential and parliamentary results on Thursday.

Guinea-Bissau has experienced at least nine coups between independence and Embaló’s inauguration in 2020, Reuters reported. Embaló says he survived three coup attempts during his first term, most recently in October; critics argue he has sometimes portrayed threats as more serious than they were to justify crackdowns on opponents. In December 2023, prolonged gunfire in Bissau prompted Embaló to call it an attempted coup, after which he dissolved parliament; the country has lacked a fully functioning legislature since then.

Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed reporting to this account.

Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau announced they had taken “total control” of the country three days after a contested presidential vote in which both leading candidates claimed victory.

On state television military officers said they were suspending the electoral process, closing the nation’s borders and had created “the high military command for the restoration of order” to govern until further notice. The announcement was read at the army headquarters in the capital, Bissau.

Earlier on the same day gunfire was reported near the electoral commission offices, the presidential palace and the interior ministry, though it remained unclear who fired the shots.

The takeover comes amid a long pattern of instability: since independence from Portugal in 1974 Guinea-Bissau has experienced repeated coups and attempted coups. The country, home to about 2.2 million people, had an average per-capita income of $963 in 2024, according to the World Bank.

In 2008 the UN characterized Guinea-Bissau as a “narco state” because of its role as a transit hub for cocaine. Located between Senegal and Guinea, its coastline, river deltas and the 88 islands of the Bijagós archipelago have been cited as discreet drop-off points for drug trafficking.

Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who was seeking a second term—the first president in three decades to run for re-election—was one of the candidates who declared victory after Sunday’s first-round vote. His main rival, Fernando Dias, also said he had won.

An Embaló spokesperson accused gunmen linked to Dias of opening fire, while an ally of Dias accused Embaló of fabricating a coup attempt to justify declaring an emergency and holding on to power. Neither side presented evidence for their claims.

The electoral commission was scheduled to release provisional presidential and parliamentary results on Thursday.

Reuters has documented at least nine coups in Guinea-Bissau between independence and Embaló’s inauguration in 2020. Embaló says he survived three coup attempts during his first term, most recently in October. Critics, however, contend that some alleged putsch attempts have been used as a pretext to crack down on opponents. In December 2023, prolonged gunfire in Bissau was described by Embaló as an attempted coup; he subsequently dissolved parliament and the country has not had a fully functioning legislature since.

Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report.