The Inside Story Podcast Why was there a coup in Guinea-Bissau and what are the implications?
Nov 27, 2025
Join experts Kabir Adamu, Bram Posthumus, and Ovigwe Eguegu as they dissect the military coup in Guinea-Bissau just before presidential election results. Kabir analyzes the power struggle, while Bram discusses how this event mirrors past coups and highlights the country’s ongoing instability. Ovigwe sheds light on the public's tepid response and the implications of narco-politics on governance. The trio also examines how international condemnation lacks real bite and predicts a potential consolidation of power by the junta.
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Power Struggle, Not Election Rescue
- The coup appears to be a power struggle rather than a genuine intervention to protect the vote.
- Kabir Adamu says the junta offered no evidence for claims of a plot to manipulate results, making the takeover seem like circumvention of the people's will.
Personalized Security Sparks Coups
- Bram Posthumus frames this coup as a new chapter shaped by personalized security networks around the president.
- He highlights a repeat pattern where disputes between presidents and their security chiefs precipitate military takeovers.
No Street Celebration For The Junta
- Public apathy and curfew suggest low popular support for the coup in Guinea-Bissau.
- Ovigwe Eguegu notes high voter turnout and says the junta imposed curfew because it lacks broad legitimacy.