Guinea-Bissau opposition accuses ECOWAS of legitimising coup leaders

The opposition in Guinea‑Bissau – represented by the PAI‑Terra Ranka and API‑Cabaz Garandi coalitions – sent an open letter to Julius Maada Bio, president of the ECOWAS summit, denouncing the regional body’s recent diplomatic mission as a tacit endorsement of the military junta that seized power on 26 November. The ECOWAS delegation, led by the foreign ministers of Senegal and Sierra Leone, met only with the coup authorities, ignored opposition figures and civil‑society groups, and concluded with public compliments to the “transition process” overseen by the military.

The opposition spokesperson, Muniro Conté of the PAIGC, warned that the mission’s approach undermines ECOWAS credibility and threatens the legitimacy of upcoming elections. The letter calls for the release of detained opposition leaders, the reopening of political spaces, and an inclusive revision of the electoral law, which they say is being manipulated to favour the junta. The criticism highlights growing frustration in Guinea‑Bissau over what is seen as ECOWAS’s shift from a principled stance to a pragmatic acceptance of the status quo.