Heavy gunfire in Guinea-Bissau as minister is freed from detention
Al JazeeraNOV 2023
Security forces have always been at the heart of politics in Guinea-Bissau, so this violent incident between two army factions isn't a novelty in a country widely known for its instability. Despite decades into its independence, the system of governance still reflects that established during the Portuguese colonial era.
Guinea-Bissau had it all to become a successful post-colonial nation, as its elites had invested heavily in creating a national identity, rural political education and mass mobilization to liberate the country from colonialism. Yet, as the general citizenry has been forced out of civic life after the country became independent, political instability has only worsened.