Burkina Faso: coup attempt against Traoré defeated as people mobilize to defend the revolution

On Jan. 3, while the fascist pigs in Washington brutalized the Venezuelan people, Burkina Faso was shaken by an attempted coup backed by the fascist pigs in Paris. 

This marks a new addition to the long list of attempts by the West, notably France, to crush the revolutionary government of Captain Ibrahim Traoré and return the Land of Upright People to an existence of bondage and slavery. 

African news outlets and Burkinabè officials have linked the plot to networks connected to France and to former president Paul-Henri Damiba, who was removed in 2022 amid growing popular anger at his government’s alignment with Paris. These reports place the attempted coup within a longer pattern of French intervention in the Sahel, where Paris has repeatedly sought to maintain political and military control over former colonies, often under the banner of “security cooperation.”

Reporting available in the hours after the attempt indicates that the plot began to unravel almost as soon as it was launched. Burkinabè security forces intercepted communications, identified key participants, and moved quickly to neutralize the threat. The military under the command of Oumar Yabré responded quickly and decisively to protect Traoré and, most importantly, the revolution. 

By the early hours of Jan. 3, large numbers of people poured into the streets of Ouagadougou. Crowds gathered near the presidential residence and other key sites, holding vigils and rallies throughout the day and night. These mobilizations were both an expression of popular support for Captain Traoré and a warning to the enemies of the revolution and the Burkinabè people. 

According to information released by Burkinabè authorities and reported by regional outlets, documents recovered from the plotters outlined plans to assassinate revolutionary leaders and sabotage infrastructure established to confront Western-backed armed groups operating in the country. The coup plans also reportedly called for the occupation or destruction of major state institutions in the capital.

Had it succeeded, the coup would have dismantled the gains made since Captain Traoré came to power and reopened the door to direct foreign control over Burkina Faso’s resources, particularly its gold sector. 

When faced with this fight to protect the revolution and Ibrahim Traoré, the Burkinabè people have repeatedly risen to do whatever it takes to defend their gains and their right to control their own fate.