Five candidates in Guinea Bissau’s aborted presidential election united to condemn last week’s coup, as West African delegates arrived for overnight talks with military and political figures. The April 12 military coup tipped the restive impoverished west African country into fresh chaos and interrupted a second-round presidential vote on April 29. UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Monday that a move by the coup leaders to declare a transitional government would only worsen the crisis in the African nation. Ban will “intensify cooperation” with international governments and bodies to deal with the situation following last Thursday’s coup, said deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey. For its part the junta insisted that it was in control of the situation in the west African nation and urged the population not to panic.
The validity of the presidential vote was already in doubt after five candidates, including first-round runner-up Kumba Yala, denounced the results as fraudulent and declared a boycott. Speaking on behalf of the boycotting candidates, Yala told a press conference: “We firmly condemn the April 12 military uprising and demand the quick return of constitutional order.”
