SAMORA MOISES MACHEL - MOZAMBIQUE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06762104
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-01461
• Publication Date: April 2, 1981

Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C06762104
Samora Moises MACHEL
(Phonetic: maSHEL)
President (since June
1975)
Addressed as:
Mr. President
As president (since
May 1970) of the Front
for the Liberation of
Mozambique (FRELIMO),
Samora Machel directed
his country's struggle
for independence, negoti-
ated the final peace
settlement with the Por-
tuguese, and became Mo-
zambique's first President at independence in June
1975. As FRELIMO head, he is constitutionally Com-
mander in Chief of the People's Forces for the Lib-
eration of Mozambique (army), and he also heads the
secret police. Although Machel theoretically shares
power with the other members of the FRELIMO Execu-
tive Committee, he in fact exerts supreme authority
in Maputo and other,urban areas and relincluishes
only as much power as he chooses.
tA--t
MOZAMBIQUE
An ardent revolutionary who publicly espouses a
policy of Marxism-Leninism, Machel has tempered his
political philosophy with his own brand of prag-
matism. Since independence he has consolidated his
power by purging political rivals and has instituted
a socialist-oriented state. He has not hesitated to
take extensive military aid from the Soviets when he
felt it to be in his best interests. In turn, the
Soviets have prevailed upon him to use his close
relationship with Zimbabwean Prime Minister. Robert
Mugabe to press their case for the establishment of
diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe.
Machel nonetheless has not discouraged Western
investment and development aid. On a visit to the
USSR and Eastern Europe in late 1980, he was unable
to elicit either a promise of increased economic
assistance from the Soviets or support for Mozam-
bique membership in the Council for Mutual Economic
Assistance. Even before his Moscow visit, Mozam-
bique had begun to solicit Western technical advice
(cont.)
CR M 81-11429
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and had concluded credit agreements with several
Western nations. Those efforts at expanding links
to the West were at least temporarily derailed when,
in March 1981, Machel expelled four US diplomats,
accusing them of being spies. The US Government
retaliated by suspending its $6 million food assist-
ance program.
Machel and South Africa
Machel's principal concern in Africa is the
success of southern African liberation movements; he
has provided limited aid to the African National
Congress (ANC), a South African dissident group.
Nonetheless, he is aware of Mozambique's close trade
and transportation links to South Africa and is
anxious for a period of domestic stability to
strengthen an economy debilitated by years of har-
boring Zimbabwean guerrillas and continuing low-
level insurgent activity. He is also concerned
about taking any course of 'action that would provoke
increased aid to the South African-backed National
Resistance Movement (NRM), an antigovernment insur-
gent group that operates out of western Mozambique
and South Africa. Machel thus has been relatively
moderate in his opposition to the Pretoria regime
and has made an effort to limit ANC crossborder
operations. In September 1980 bilateral discussions
were held with a view toward circumscribing NRM and
ANC activities. Nothing came of these initiatives,
however, and South African commandos subsequently
conducted two raids into Mozambican territory. Thus
far, Machel has limited his response to public crit-
icism of the raids.
Personal Data
Machel is 47 years old. His lifestyle is aus-
tere, although he enjoys the trappings of author-
ity. In press appearances Machel is impressive;
open and articulate, he projects a warm and witty
personality. He received the Lenin Peace Prize in
1977 and during his trip to the Soviet Union in 1980
he was awarded the Soviet Order of People's Friend-
ship. Machel speaks Swahili, Portuguese, and some
French and English. His wife, Graga, is Minister of
Education and Culture.
2 April 1981
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Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C06762104