Captain Camara says his government will “renegotiate” contracts with the foreign mining companies that operate in Guinea, the world’s largest exporter of bauxite; it also produces iron ore, gold and diamonds. Yet despite generating more than 60% of the country’s export revenues, the mines provide only 20% of its taxes. A big complaint against Mr Conte was that so much of the mines’ revenue was siphoned off in secret deals with his friends.

Foreign reaction to the coup has been mixed. Senegal’s regionally influential president, Abdoulaye Wade, urged people to support Guinea’s new government. But the African Union has suspended Guinea’s membership of the organisation until “the return of constitutional order”.

That may be a long way off. Mr Conte himself came to power in a coup; there is every chance that Captain Camara will be ousted in another before the country holds a fair election. Even those who welcome the coup fear that the new man may turn out to be just another Mr Conte. The only certainty is that Guinea’s political turmoil—and uncertaint—¿will persist.

© The Economist Newspaper Limited 2008