Vigário Luís Balanta, a 35-year-old civil society activist and vocal critic of Guinea-Bissau’s military junta, was found dead on Tuesday in the Ndam area, roughly 30 kilometres from the capital, Bissau. Local media and fellow activists reported that Balanta had been violently attacked and beaten to death.
Balanta, president of the Pó di Terra revolutionary movement and spokesperson for the Civil Society Social Pact, was known for advocating for youth empowerment and a dignified future in Guinea-Bissau, rather than encouraging emigration.
In a statement reported by RFI, the Civil Society Social Pact called Balanta an “inspiring figure for the youth of Guinea-Bissau” and urged an independent investigation involving the Guinean League for Human Rights and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Balanta had been a persistent critic of the transitional authorities, denouncing the protest ban and demanding the publication of results from the November 2025 presidential and legislative elections. The country has been under the rule of a military junta led by General Horta N’tam following a coup that ousted former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
The transitional government condemned Balanta’s “violent death” in a statement on Tuesday, describing the killing as “barbaric” and calling for an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Balanta’s death underscores ongoing tensions in Guinea-Bissau as civil society and political activists continue to navigate the fragile transitional period under military rule.
