Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has removed Geraldo Martins from the position of prime minister just a week after his reappointment and has appointed Rui Duarte de Barros, a former prime minister, in his place, as indicated by presidential decrees on Wednesday.
The move follows the dissolution of Guinea-Bissau’s parliament by Embalo days after what he labeled a thwarted coup on Dec. 1, citing the government’s perceived passivity in response to the clashes. Despite the recent reappointment of Martins as prime minister on Dec. 12, the presidential decrees did not provide a specific reason for his dismissal. Sources close to the situation suggest that differences between the prime minister and the president contributed to this decision.
De Barros, the newly appointed prime minister, has previously served as Guinea-Bissau’s minister of economy and finance and held a position as a commissioner at the West African Economic and Monetary Union. Additionally, he served as prime minister in a transitional government from 2012 to 2014.
Guinea-Bissau has a history of political instability, experiencing several coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. Recent events include police firing tear gas to disperse opposition members of parliament who attempted to convene against Embalo’s decision to dissolve the house. A date for new legislative elections has yet to be determined.
