What happened in Guinea Bissau after February 27
There were many expectations for the Feb. 27 elections in Guinea Bissau. Fidei donum Fr. Lucio Brentegani asks many questions
It seemed like it was supposed to be a day of momentous change in the sociopolitical history of Guinea Bissau, but in reality nothing has changed. Changing nothing is the plan of those in power, evidently.
The Speaker of Parliament, who is supposed to succeed the “expired” President is not in Guinea Bissau; he keeps saying that he is available to take this position, but still nothing.
My impression is that you don’t know where the military stands, because then at the end of the day, the ones who matter most (necessarily) are them.
The high-level ECOWAS delegation sought a path of inclusive dialogue with all parties in the parliament, but the president gave them 24 hours to leave the country and close the dialogue process for a solution.
A few days later the president (former president) made a decree (after the end of his term he could make no more) setting elections for November 23, 2025, thus effectively increasing his 5-year term by one more year.
What will become of Guinea Bissau’s future? What will its democratic process look like?
Where will the military stand?
How will the 85 percent of the people’s elected deputies prevail over the remaining 15 percent but who stay in power?
How will the people continue to think and demonstrate freely when the state prevents them from doing so?
What will become of the Guinean population with strikes in schools and hospitals almost every day for months, but without constructive dialogue with the government?
What will happen during the cashew harvesting and marketing campaign (Major economic income of the country and families)?
How will civil society organizations (Human Rights League, etc.) succeed in making a vision of rule of law prevail instead of the state of siege situation?
What is the role of the Catholic Church within this socio-political scenario, knowing that power wants it to stay silent and in the sacristy (forgetting that the Catholic Church runs more than 15 percent of schools and the best health facilities in Guinea Bissau)?
These are just some of the legitimate questions of this moment. I do not have the answer, but they are worth seeking. Better if together.
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- Photo by Flora Massari