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Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, has spent the past week campaigning, smiling beneath his trademark red-and-white keffiyeh as crowds gather to greet him. The country heads to the polls this weekend, and Embaló is campaigning with the confidence of a man who has already defied the odds. In a nation where leaders are often pushed out before finishing their terms, he is only the second president in the multiparty era to complete a full mandate without being toppled or killed.
Yet Embaló’s time in office has been anything but calm. Postponed elections, political in-fighting, the dissolution of parliament, and several coup attempts have shaped his five-year presidency. Even now, tensions linger. But with his main rival, Domingos Simões Pereira, and the historic PAIGC party disqualified for submitting their documents late, Embaló enters the race as the clear front-runner.
To his supporters, Embaló is “the general”, even though he left the army decades ago. At 53, he blends the swagger of a seasoned campaigner with the careful language of an academic — he trained in political science and specialises in defence and strategic affairs. His campaign trail has been loud and theatrical: a massive motorcade, playful jabs at his 11 challengers, and thousands of supporters cheering him on across the country.
Not long ago, Embaló promised he would serve only one term. But earlier this year, he changed course, announcing that he would run again “for the good of this country”. His political journey has always been turbulent. He previously served as prime minister from 2016 to 2018, and when he first ran for president in 2019, the election ended in a bitter standoff. Both he and Pereira claimed victory until the Supreme Court affirmed Embaló’s win and ECOWAS recognised him as the rightful president.
Since then, he says he has survived several coup attempts — including one in October, just before the campaign began. Guinea-Bissau is no stranger to instability, having lived through four successful coups and many failed ones over the past four decades.
Political Turbulence and Tough Decisions
Tensions escalated in December 2023 when Embaló dissolved the opposition-led parliament only days after violent clashes that officials attributed to coup plotters. Pereira, who was then the parliamentary speaker, accused him of orchestrating a “constitutional coup”. Elections planned for last November were postponed and later merged with this Sunday’s presidential vote.
The opposition coalition PAI–Terra Ranka, also blocked from the ballot, insists that Embaló’s term ended on February 27 — five years after he was sworn in — and argues he should no longer be in office.
Analysts say that political brinkmanship has always been part of Embaló’s strategy.
“He has shown himself to be very adept at setting the different parties in Guinea-Bissau against each other,” said Pedro Seabra, deputy director at the Centre for International Studies in Lisbon.
Beyond Politics: The Man Behind the Keffiyeh
For all the drama surrounding his presidency, Embaló also maintains a softer, more personal side. He is a father of three and comes from the Fulani Muslim community, though his family life bridges faiths — he is married to a Christian. Born in Bissau, he pursued his studies in Spain and Portugal and speaks five languages.
Outside politics, he is known for his love of football and is an enthusiastic supporter of Belgian top-tier club Standard Liège.
As the nation prepares for yet another crucial election, Embaló stands at the centre of Guinea-Bissau’s political storm — a leader seeking a renewed mandate in a country long shaped by instability, but still hopeful for stability and progress.
