Guinea-Bissau: Fernando Dias da Costa accuses the army

The leader of the Party for Social Renewal (PRS), Fernando Dias da Costa, has warned the High Military Command of Guinea-Bissau, which he holds responsible for the coup d'état of November 26, 2025, and the detention of opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira. He denounces an "illegal" military justice system and the silence of ECOWAS in the face of a political crisis that threatens the country's future.

In a video posted on his official Facebook page, Fernando Dias da Costa, a former presidential candidate in the November 2025 elections, accused the High Military Command of having "perpetrated the coup" that canceled the general elections. According to him, officers could be held legally responsible in the future for these events. He denounced the attempted arrest of Domingos Simões Pereira (DSP), president of the PAIGC, who was summoned on July 10 before the High Military Court of Bissau. For Dias da Costa, "Domingos's actions are politically motivated" and aim to neutralize a civilian opponent by military means.

Fernando Dias recalled that a suspect had attempted to extort money from Domingos Simões Pereira by fabricating a story about financing a coup. "Domingos discovered the fraud and refused to hand over any sum," he emphasized, rejecting the accusation that 300 million CFA francs had been used to prepare a coup in October 2025. He urged legal experts to "act rigorously" and warned the military against any political manipulation: "The army must keep politicians away from the barracks and not allow them to be used as pawns."

The PRS leader also criticized the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing it of meeting only with the authorities in power during its last ministerial mission to Bissau. According to him, this omission skewed the assessment of the crisis and weakened the ongoing constitutional process. “The international community is closely monitoring the situation and remains silent. We were particularly disappointed by ECOWAS,” he declared, believing that the regional organization is “leading them down an unknown path.”

Fernando Dias reiterated that eliminating opponents has never solved the country's problems, citing the precedents of Nino Vieira and Kumba Yalá. He believes that only dialogue, respect for the law, and a popular vote can lead Guinea-Bissau out of its current impasse. "The law is not being respected, which calls into question the credibility of the judiciary and could have consequences for the country's future," he warned.

In his closing remarks, Dias da Costa insisted: “We are all children of Guinea. Any solution adopted without taking our position into account will be ineffective.” He called for the preservation of the political system and a resolution to the crisis through national dialogue, rather than military repression.