SUMMARY

The Government of Guinea-Bissau was established after Guinea-Bissau became officially recognized as independent from Portugal in 1974. It was formed from the Marxist, liberation-seeking, armed group PAIGC (Partido Africano para a Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde: African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde), which had been the dominant revolutionary force in the fight against Portuguese colonialism since the sixties. A single-party, semi-presidential republic political system formed with Luís Cabral serving as the first President of Guinea-Bissau until a bloodless military coup brought João Bernardo Vieira, former Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, to power in 1980. When Guinea-Bissau opened up to multiparty democracy in the early 1990s, Vieira retained his position by winning the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. However armed conflict contesting his leadership of the government broke out in 1998, which resulted in authority being ceded to the Military Junta for the Consolidation of Democracy, Peace and Justice under the leadership of General Ansumane Mané in May 1999. This interim government remained in place until democratic elections resulted in Kumba Yala, opposition leader for the Party for Social Renewal, taking over as President in January 2000. Yet, another interim government took over in September 2003 following a bloodless military coup. This remained in place until elections resulted in former President Vieira returning to power in July 2005. Nevertheless, Vieira was assassinated in March 2009 and Malam Bacai Sanha took over as president after an emergency election in June. Unfortunately, Sanha’s death due to a long-term illness in January 2012 resulted in another transitional government, whilst a military coup delayed the holding of democratic elections until May 2014. Accordingly, Jose Mario Vaz was elected president and remained so as of late 2018. In spite of this, the government continued to experience internal political instability such as having five prime ministers between August 2015 and October 2018.

In 2018, Guinea-Bissau had 4000 active armed troops. Its People’s Revolutionary Armed Force consists of the national army, navy and air force of Guinea-Bissau as well as the Presidential Guard, which was established in 2012. Yet, when conflict broke out with the Military Junta for the Consolidation of Democracy, Peace and Justice in 1998, the Government of Guinea-Bissau had 73 000 active armed troops. In line with regional dynamics, both the governments of Senegal and Guinea sent military troops to assist the Bissau-Guinean government in suppressing the armed revolt against it by the Military Junta for the Consolidation of Democracy, Peace and Justice.