More languages
More actions
Agostinho Neto | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 17 September 1922 Ícolo e Bengo, Portuguese Angola |
| Died | 10 September 1979 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Cause of death | Pancreatic cancer |
Agostinho Neto (17 September 1922 - 10 September 1979) was an Angolan revolutionary and leader. From 1975 to 1979, he led the MPLA in the Angolan civil war against the CIA-backed[1] UNITA party.[2] Neto was also a physician and poet.[3][4]
Life[edit | edit source]
Neto was born September 17, 1922 when Angola was under Portuguese colonial rule. In 1947, he was awarded a scholarship to study medicine in Lisbon, Portugal. There, Neto became involved with various cultural organizations of students from Portugal's colonies in Africa, who were advocating for the rediscovery of African culture and history. Neto also became involved in organizations which opposed Portugal's fascist government under Antonio Salazar at the time.[3] Due to his political activities, he was arrested several times by the Portuguese authorities.[4] His first arrest was in 1952, followed by another in 1955 in which he was held until 1957.[4] Neto graduated in 1957 and returned to Angola in 1958.[4]
While practicing medicine in Luanda, Angola, Neto also remained engaged in political work and faced continued arrests. He was arrested in June of 1960.[4] Local people protested Neto's arrest, to which the authorities reacted with armed force, killing 30 protesters and injuring over 200.[3] In September 1960, Neto was exiled to Cabo Verde. He was later released, but then arrested again in 1961 and sent to a military prison in Portugal.[4] After an international campaign for the release of political prisoners, Neto was put on house arrest in near Lisbon in 1962. From there he was eventually aided in escaping the country.[4]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ John Stockwell (1978). in Search of Enemies.
- ↑ Donald S. Rothchild (1997). Managing Ethnic Conflict in Africa: Pressures and Incentives for Cooperation (pp. 115–116). Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815775938
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 David Zuber (2022-03-09). "Agostinho Neto (1922-1979)" BlackPast. Archived from the original on 2025-10-16.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 R. A. Ulyanovsky, V. G. Khoros, V. V. Vavilov, Y. N. Vinokurov, A. Yuriev (1983). Fighters for National Liberation: 'ANTONIO AGOSTINHO NETO'. Moscow: Progress Publishers.
- ↑ "Angola" (2025-09-02). South African History Online. Archived from the original on 2025-10-01.