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Nito Alves

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Nito Alves
Interior Minister of Angola
In office
11 November 1975 – 29 October 1976
PresidentAgostinho Neto
Prime MinisterLopo do Nascimento
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished (1976–1978)
Alexandre Kito (1978–1979)
Personal details
Born
Alves Bernardo Baptista

(1945-07-23)23 July 1945
Piri, Dembos, Portuguese Angola
Died14 July 1977(1977-07-14) (aged 31)
Luanda, People's Republic of Angola
Cause of deathExecution
Political party MPLA

Nito Alves (1945[1]–1977) was an Angolan politician who served as the interior minister of Angola from independence, on 11 November 1975, until President Agostinho Neto abolished the position in October 1976. A hardline member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Alves is best known for his failed 1977 coup attempt against Neto.[2]

Alves supported fractionism, opposing Neto's foreign policy of nonalignment, evolutionary socialism, and multiracialism. Alves favored stronger relations with the Soviet Union, which he wanted to grant military bases in Angola. He represented the MPLA at the 25th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in February 1976.

On 21 May 1977, the MPLA expelled him from the party. He and his supporters broke into a prison, freeing other supporters, and took control of the radio station in Luanda in an attempted coup. Forces loyal to Neto took back the radio and arrested those involved in the coup attempt. While Cuban soldiers actively helped Neto put down the coup, Alves claimed that the Soviet Union supported the coup. British mercenaries in prison in Luanda refused to become involved.

Alves's power base was centered on Malanje. After the failed coup the MPLA undertook a purge designed to eliminate factionalism and killed thousands, including Alves.[3][2][4]

References

  1. ^ Fauvet, Paul. "Angola: The Rise and Fall of Nito Alves". Review of African Political Economy, No. 9, Southern Africa. (May – Aug., 1977), pp. 88–104.
  2. ^ a b Georges A. Fauriol and Eva Loser. Cuba: The International Dimension, 1990. Page 164.
  3. ^ "27 de Maio 1977 por William Tonet". 27 May 2013.
  4. ^ Domínguez, Jorge I. To Make a World Safe for Revolution: Cuba's Foreign Policy, 1989. Page 158.

Bibliography

Further reading