The leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) said today that it will assess whether there are conditions to apply for presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau, scheduled for December 6.
© Lusa
29/09/2026
by
Lusa
Domingos Simões Pereira told Lusa that he will have to evaluate, listen and consider whether there are “the necessary conditions” to apply for presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau.
“ At that time, the competent authorities, in particular the party and the structures to which I belong, will be able to position themselves,” said the Guinean opposition leader.
According to the leader, “political activity is suspended” in the Portuguese-speaking country, and “the only entities that are free to not only circulate, but [to] manifest and develop their activities publicly are those that align with power.”.
In view of this scenario, Simões Pereira stressed that there must be “the minimum of conditions met in order to participate in some electoral election”.
Asked about his return to Guinea-Bissau after three months in Portugal – where he has been for health and humanitarian reasons since 24 July – the leader of the PAIGC said he has not yet spoken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE), adding that he has not negotiated anything and does not know if there is a deadline to leave the country.
The Guinean military staged a coup d'état on November 26, 2025, the day before the publication of the results of legislative and presidential elections, and removed from power the then President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
They created a National Transitional Council (CNT), which took over the powers of parliament, and appointed Ilídio Vieira Té Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
The opposition considered that this was a coup d'état staged to allow Sissoco Embalo, who has lived regularly in Morocco since the coup, to return to power through new presidential and legislative elections marked by the military on 6 December.