The Portuguese government, in a statement on Wednesday, denied statements made by the President of Guinea-Bissau’s parliament on Tuesday, Lusé, in which Domingos Simões Pereira accused Portugal of allowing itself to be used by the Guinean president.
“The Government of Portugal rejects the statements of the President of the National People’s Assembly of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau regarding Portugal’s position on the current political crisis in the country,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement sent to Lusa. .
“Consistently and with respect for the full sovereignty of this country, Portugal cooperates with all Guinean institutions and authorities – bilaterally, as well as within the framework of the United Nations, the European Union and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries – to strengthen stability. , democracy and the rule of law, as well as promoting the development of Guinea-Bissau,” the note emphasizes.
Regarding the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, Portugal is “closely following the most recent developments and hopes that the Guinean institutions will find, with respect for the constitutional order, the necessary solutions to overcome the current situation in the country,” he adds.
In a telephone interview with Lusa from Lisbon on Tuesday, Domingos Simões Pereira accused Portugal of allowing itself to be used by Guinea’s head of state, Humaro Sissoko Embalo, “instead of helping to strengthen stability, to build a democratic state.” institutions.”
“From time to time, from time to time the President [Sissoco Embaló] sparks conversations with [o Presidente da República de Portugal] Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa with Prime Minister António Costa and other government officials [portuguesas]. And this is done with the intention of causing some parallelism with what is happening in Portugal, and therefore if it is normal in Portugal, then it is normal in Guinea-Bissau,” said Simões Pereira.
“When (…) the Portuguese authorities hear about this and do not make it a point to condemn and distance themselves from this reality, they become complicit in what is happening at the moment” in Guinea-Bissau, he added.
According to Simões Pereira, Humaro Sissoko Embalo referred to an alleged conversation with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa regarding his decision to dissolve the Guinean parliament under the pretext of an alleged coup attempt.
For the President of the Guinean Parliament and PAIGC, the presence of Portuguese authorities in Guinea-Bissau “is a sign of approval of the actions of the entities that have received these powers.”
“I cannot allow that, living in this situation, which is already perceived as chronic in terms of instability, Portugal, instead of contributing to the strengthening of stability, the construction of democratic institutions, allows itself to be used for these kinds of references that really drag us down.” , he criticized.
Hours later, in a response sent to Lusa, Portuguese Head of State Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he had not met or spoken with Guinean President Humaro Sissoko Embalo since he was in Bissau in mid-November. .
This information was sent to Lusa in response to a request from the President of the Republic to comment on the situation in Guinea-Bissau and the statements of Domingos Simões Pereira in which he is attacked.
“The President of the Republic has not met or spoken with the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Humaro Sissoko Embalo, since his visit to Guinea-Bissau on November 16, 2023. Like the government, he also did not speak with the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Oumaro Sissoko Embalo. commented on the situation in Guinea-Bissau,” was the response sent to Lusa from the press service of the President of the Republic.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was in Bissau from 15 to 16 November with Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, taking part in the official celebration of the 50th anniversary of Guinea-Bissau’s independence.
Guinea-Bissau is experiencing a situation of tension and instability following the arrest on November 30 of the Minister of Economy and Finance, Suleiman Seidi, and the Minister of Finance, António Monteiro, both directors of PAIGC, as part of a process related to payments to entrepreneurs.
Events came to a head when members of the National Guard gathered to pick up the two leaders from the judicial police cells, after which clashes broke out between these paramilitary forces and members of the Presidential Palace Battalion.
On Monday, after a meeting of the Council of State, President Oumaro Sissoko Embalo announced the decision to dissolve parliament.
The President of Parliament called the decision a constitutional coup, given that under the terms of the Guinean Constitution, the National People’s Assembly cannot be dissolved within 12 months of its election.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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