In a move that has shocked Lisbon and rattled Guinea-Bissau’s fragile democracy, the government of President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has ordered the expulsion of several Portuguese-based media outlets, including the state news agency Lusa, public broadcaster RTP Africa, and RDP Africa.
The decree, issued on August 15, gave the outlets until August 19 to leave the country—without offering a single explanation. For many observers, the silence speaks volumes, coming at a time when Embalo’s hold on power is increasingly under fire.
Portugal, once Guinea-Bissau’s colonial ruler, reacted swiftly. Its Foreign Ministry denounced the move as “highly reprehensible and unjustifiable”, summoning the Bissau-Guinean ambassador in Lisbon for an urgent meeting. The message was clear: cutting off press freedom in the middle of an election crisis would not go unanswered.
The expulsions come against the backdrop of mounting political unrest. Embalo, who came to power in 2020, had once promised to step aside after his term. But earlier this month, he declared his intention to run again, insisting his mandate had not yet expired. His critics, however, argue that his term ended in February 2025, accusing him of clinging to power.
On August 7, Embalo appointed Braima Camara as his third prime minister since taking office—an act that deepened suspicions of instability and power manipulation. For many Bissau-Guineans, the constant reshuffling of leadership has become a symbol of political uncertainty.
This is not the first time Embalo has clashed with outside mediators. Earlier this year, a political mission sent by ECOWAS to help set up a credible electoral framework was unceremoniously expelled, with reports that Embalo himself had issued threats against the delegation.
Now, the stakes are even higher. Elections—both presidential and legislative—have been postponed to November 23, 2025, further inflaming tensions. Opposition parties see the delay as a tactic to extend Embalo’s grip on power, while citizens are left to wonder whether democracy in Guinea-Bissau is slipping further away.
For journalists and human rights defenders, the latest crackdown on foreign media signals something more alarming: a government increasingly unwilling to tolerate scrutiny, even as it navigates one of the most critical moments in its history.
