The president of the opposition African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) rejects the presence of a force of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) without the approval of Guinea Bissau’s National Assembly.
At a press conference Wednesday, the leader of the former liberation party, Domingos Simões Pereira, spoke of many doubts about the facts surrounding the February 1 coup attempt.
“We have to tell ECOWAS, very clearly, that we have a Constitution that indicates that it is the National Assembly that is the only entity competent, in the name of the Guinean people, to ask for the possible support of a foreign force,” Simões Pereira said. He also challenged other formations to do the same.
For the opposition leader, a foreign force is only necessary “when something happens in your country and you recognize that your armed force does not have the capacity to control it.”
Regarding the incidents of February 1, Domingos Simões Pereira considered that “something is not very clear”.
As a reminder, on February 1, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and members of the government were surprised by heavy gunfire at the palace while a council of ministers was to be held.
The assault, according to the presidency, lasted several hours and left many dead.
The ECOWAS countries subsequently decided to send a stabilization force to the country.