Guinea-Bissau Civil War - Military Coup

Military Coup

In early May 1999, Vieira announced that legislative and presidential elections would take place on 28 December. On 7 May, to widespread condemnation by the international community, President João Bernardo Vieira was overthrown by the rebel military junta. Fighting had erupted in Bissau on the previous day when rebel troops seized stockpiles of weapons that had been held at the international airport since the disarmament of the rival forces in March. The rebels, who claimed that their actions had been prompted by Vieira's refusal to allow his presidential guard to be disarmed, surrounded the presidential palace and forced its surrender. Vieira subsequently took refuge at the Portuguese embassy, where on 10 May he signed an unconditional surrender.