Guinea-Bissau Reopens Borders After Military Takeover Halts Election Process

Guinea-Bissau Reopens Borders After Military Takeover Halts Election Process

Guinea-Bissau’s military authorities have reopened all borders, a day after seizing power and suspending the nation’s electoral process, further deepening political uncertainty in the coup-prone West African country.

General Lansana Mansali, the inspector general of the armed forces, confirmed the decision on Thursday, stating that “all borders are now open,” reversing the earlier shutdown of land, air and sea access points.

The abrupt takeover marks another chapter in the long-standing instability of Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations and a known hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe — a situation worsened by decades of political upheaval.

Political stability had been central to the just-held general elections, especially after the army announced in October that it had foiled an “attempt to subvert the constitutional order,” arresting several high-ranking officers.

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International organisations have expressed alarm. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was following developments with “deep concern,” while Portugal, the country’s former colonial ruler, urged restraint and discouraged any form of institutional or civic violence.

Rights groups also condemned the suspension of media activities. Sadibou Marong, head of Reporters Without Borders in Sub-Saharan Africa, described the move as a grave violation of the right to information, stressing that citizens “must be able to be informed about what is happening, especially during a political crisis.”

The situation adds to the growing list of recent coups across West Africa, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea, further highlighting the region’s ongoing governance challenges.

Guinea-Bissau Reopens Borders After Military Takeover Halts Election Process