AFRICAN WEEKLY NOTES PORTUGUESE GUINEA: INSURGENT MOVEMENT ELECTS PARTY LEADERS

Document Type:

FOIA [1]

Collection:

FOIA Collection [2]

Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):

06954150

Release Decision:

RIPPUB

Original Classification:

Document Page Count:

Document Creation Date:

July 13, 2023

Document Release Date:

November 7, 2022

Sequence Number:

Case Number:

F-2018-01460

Publication Date:

July 27, 1973

File:

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AFRICAN WEEKLY NOTES PORT[16121477].pdf [3]	68.31 KB

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Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 African Weekly Weekly Notes 50 27 July 1973 SC No. 00997/73 (b)( 3) (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 -TOP-SEelt-EP African Weekly Notes This publication has been o epared by the Office of Current Intelligence and coordinated with other components within the Directorate of Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to the authors of the individual articles. CONTENTS 27 July 1973 Portuguese Guinea: Insurgent movement elects party leaders 5 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 TOP SECRET Portuguese Guinea The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and the Cape Verde Islands has announced the elec- tion of top leaders during a party congress held in the "liberated zone" of Portuguese Guinea earlier this month. This is the second election in party history and the first since the assassination of rebel leader Amilcar Cabral in January 1973. Ari- stides Pereira has been named Secretary General, the top party post. Other key figures elected to a four-man Permanent Secretariat were Luiz Cabral, Francisco Mendes, and Joao Bernardo Vieira. All except Vieira, who is a black Portuguese Guinean, are Cape Verdean mulattoes. The assassination of Cabral is believed to have resulted from increasing friction between Cape Verdeans-- predominant in the political leadership--and black Portuguese Guineans who resented being relegated pri- marily to military roles. There had also been indi- cations of discontent among military commanders over their lack of influence in decision-making. Until these disputes could be resolved and a new permanent leadership chosen under calmer circumstances. Aristides Pereira, a Cape Verdian was appointed acting secretary general. The recerit election seems to indicate that the lead- ership problems have been resolved for the time being, possibly as a result of the improvement in the rebel military position in recent months. -5- 27 July 1973 Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150 27 July 1973 �6� EC Approved for Release: 2022/09/21 C06954150