The West African nation of Guinea-Bissau has been thrown into turmoil after the army seized power, arrested President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and shut down national institutions. Heavy gunfire was reported near the presidential palace as military forces took control, suspended the electoral process, and briefly closed the country’s borders and airspace. The coup comes just days after the disputed November 23 presidential election, deepening political instability in a nation long plagued by coups and drug trafficking. Regional and global bodies, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations, have expressed concern and urged a swift return to constitutional order.