The African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) today denounced “systematic meddling” of some leadership of the Armed Forces in political life and condemned their attitude “defense of the President of the Republic".

In a press release, the PAIGC, who led the winning coalition in the June 2023 elections and whose Government was dismissed by the President of the Republic, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, lamented situations that have occurred in the last ten years, which he considers to be interference and biased speeches in response to decisions taken by the head of state, “even in a frontal collision” with the Constitution of the Republic and other laws.

“As if this anti-republican stance were not enough in recent years, the instrumentalization of the Armed Forces [has] been accentuated with allegations of attempted coups d'état, without being able to present evidence”.

“As, in fact, happened with the cases of February 1, 2022 and December 1, 2023, to this day with contours to be clarified and evidence to be presented”, says the PAIGC in the statement.

The party recalls that it was its initiative to create the People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (Farp), 60 years ago, but from which he had to disassociate himself due to the country's opening to multipartyism.

For the PAIGC, it is unacceptable that some leadership of the Armed Forces has recently taken a deliberate attitude of defending solely the alleged legitimacy of Umaro Sissoco Embaló, “explicitly ignoring the people's elected officials” in parliament and in the Government.

The party recalls that those bodies were also the result of “popular verdict” of the Guineans.

"PAIGC demands the distancing of the Armed Forces from the presidency of the Republic”, urges them to respect their role as guardians of the institutions of sovereignty and holds them responsible for the physical integrity of party leaders.

The party, led by Domingos Simões Pereira, former prime minister and current president of parliament, which has since been dissolved by Umaro Sissoco Embaló since last December, justifies his concerns with recent statements by the deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces.

the general Mamadu 'Nkrumah' Turé visited some military units in the country last week to denounce alleged information that pointed to “yet another coup attempt" ongoing.

On the occasion, General Turé pointed out the names of some military elements and the former prime minister and vice-president of the PAIGC, Geraldo Martins, as alleged orchestrators of the plot.

One of the military men appointed, General Bauté Yamnta Na Man, deputy chief of the Army General Staff, categorically denied that he was involved in any attempted coup d'état and challenged the General Staff of the Armed Forces to demand proof from those who accused him.

General Na Man promised to move forward with a criminal complaint against the author of the complaint involving his name.