Leaders Fly to Guinea-Bissau to Prevent Coup

Assassination leaves power vacuum in African 'narco-state'

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 3, 2009 6:57 AM CST

(Newser) – West African leaders are holding an emergency meeting in Guinea-Bissau today following the assassination of the country's president, reports the BBC. João Bernardo Vieira was killed a day after the chief of staff of the army, reputed to be a rival of Vieira's, died in a bomb blast. The army has denied that it is launching a coup, and five regional foreign ministers are seeking to ensure the military does not seize power.

Diplomats in Guinea-Bissau say the capital is deserted and there is no military presence on the streets. In a strange twist, British thriller writer Frederic Forsyth has been in the country to research a new book. In an interview, Forsyth said that Vieira did not die of his gunshot wounds, but was taken to his mother-in-law's house where soldiers "chopped him to bits" with machetes.

[Images (4)]

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Renegade soldiers assassinated the president of Guinea-Bissau in his palace Monday hours after a bomb blast killed his rival, but the military insisted no coup was taking place in the African nation. (AP Photo/RTP via APTN)

Guinea Bissau's President Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira was assassinated yesterday in what seemed a tit-for-tat murder. (AP Photo/Thierry Charlier, File)

A military forces spokesman insisted no coup was taking place in the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau. (AP Photo/RTP via APTN)

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Soldiers assassinated the president of Guinea-Bissau a day after the chief of the army died in a bomb blast. (taiwanonline)

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Leaders Fly to Guinea-Bissau to Prevent Coup