# Luís Cabral

> Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau (1931-2009)

**Wikidata**: [Q311443](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q311443)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luís_Cabral)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/luis-cabral

## Summary
Luís Cabral (full name Luís Severino de Almeida Cabral) was a Guinea-Bissau statesman and politician who served as the first President of Guinea-Bissau from 1974 until his overthrow in 1980. Born on April 11, 1931, he led the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) following the assassination of his brother, independence hero Amílcar Cabral, and guided Guinea-Bissau to full independence from Portugal. He died on May 30, 2009, in exile.

## Biography
- **Born:** April 11, 1931
- **Died:** May 30, 2009
- **Nationality:** Guinea-Bissau (citizen of Guinea-Bissau, a sovereign state in Western Africa)
- **Full Name:** Luís Severino de Almeida Cabral
- **Also Known As:** Luis Cabral
- **Known for:** First President of Guinea-Bissau; leadership of the PAIGC independence movement
- **Occupation:** Statesperson, Politician
- **Awards:** Order of José Martí (Cuban state decoration, established December 2, 1972)

## Contributions
Luís Cabral assumed leadership of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) after the assassination of his brother Amílcar Cabral in January 1973. Under his direction, Guinea-Bissau declared unilateral independence on September 24, 1973, which was formally recognized by Portugal following the Carnation Revolution in 1974. As the first President, he oversaw the newly sovereign republic's entry into the United Nations on September 17, 1974, and its integration into the international community, including membership in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and UNESCO. He also maintained the PAIGC's vision of political union with Cape Verde, a project that ultimately collapsed after his removal from power. In recognition of his role, he was awarded the Order of José Martí by Cuba.

## FAQs
**What was Luís Cabral's relationship to Amílcar Cabral?**
Luís Cabral was the brother of Amílcar Cabral, the foundational leader of the PAIGC independence movement. Following Amílcar's assassination in January 1973, Luís succeeded him as the head of the party and the independence struggle.

**How long did Luís Cabral serve as President, and how did his presidency end?**
Cabral served as President of Guinea-Bissau from 1974 until 1980. His presidency ended when he was overthrown by a coup led by João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira, which also resulted in the dissolution of the planned political union with Cape Verde.

**What is Luís Cabral's legacy in Guinea-Bissau's history?**
He is remembered as the first head of state of an independent Guinea-Bissau, having guided the country through its transition from the Portuguese colony of Portuguese Guinea to a sovereign republic. However, his tenure also ended in a coup, foreshadowing the political instability that has plagued the nation for decades.

## Why They Matter
Luís Cabral is a foundational figure in the history of Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation of 36,125 square kilometres that gained independence from Portugal in 1974. His leadership ensured the survival of the PAIGC during a critical vulnerability following the loss of its primary leader. He established the first government, national symbols (including the flag featuring a black star and the motto "Unidade, Luta, Progresso"), and international alliances of a free Guinea-Bissau. His overthrow in 1980, however, initiated a cycle of political instability—characterized by numerous coups—that has persisted throughout the nation's history. Furthermore, his removal permanently altered the geopolitical landscape of the region by severing the proposed union between Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, two former Portuguese colonies that had shared a single liberation movement.

## Notable For
- **First President of Guinea-Bissau**: Served as the inaugural head of state from 1974 to 1980 following independence from Portugal.
- **Leader of the PAIGC**: Assumed control of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde after the assassination of his brother, Amílcar Cabral.
- **Independence Leadership**: Guided Guinea-Bissau to internationally recognized sovereignty in 1974.
- **Pan-African Solidarity**: Recipient of the Order of José Martí, reflecting strong ties with Cuba and the broader anti-imperialist movement.
- **Post-Colonial State Building**: Presided over the creation of Guinea-Bissau's initial government structures and its admission to the United Nations and other international bodies.

## Body

### Early Life and Background
Luís Severino de Almeida Cabral was born on April 11, 1931, in what was then known as Portuguese Guinea. He was the brother of Amílcar Cabral, who would become one of Africa's most prominent anti-colonial intellectuals and the founder of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). The territory was a Portuguese colony characterized by a small geographic footprint of 36,125 square kilometres, bordered by Senegal to the north and Guinea to the east and south, with a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.

### The Independence Struggle and Rise to Power
The PAIGC waged an armed struggle for independence throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. The movement's trajectory shifted dramatically when Amílcar Cabral was assassinated in January 1973. Luís Cabral stepped into the leadership void, taking control of the party. Under his stewardship, the PAIGC declared the independence of Guinea-Bissau on September 24, 1973. While Portugal initially rejected this declaration, the Carnation Revolution of April 1974 overthrew the Portuguese authoritarian regime, leading to formal recognition. The Algiers Agreement cemented Guinea-Bissau's sovereignty, with official independence recognized on September 24, 1974.

### Presidency and State Building (1974–1980)
As President, Luís Cabral was responsible for transforming a former colony into a functioning state. He established a presidential republic with the PAIGC as the ruling party. His government adopted the national flag (featuring horizontal red and yellow bands with a vertical black band and black star), the anthem "Esta é a Nossa Pátria bem Amada," and the motto "Unidade, Luta, Progresso."

Internationally, Cabral aligned Guinea-Bissau with non-aligned and socialist states. Under his leadership, the country joined:
- The United Nations on September 17, 1974
- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 1974
- UNESCO on November 1, 1974
- The Universal Postal Union on May 30, 1974
- The African Union as a founding member

In recognition of his role in the liberation struggle and his international alignment, he was decorated with the Order of José Martí, a high Cuban state honor established on December 2, 1972.

A key component of Cabral's political program was the unification of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde under a single state, governed jointly by the PAIGC. This ambition reflected the shared heritage of the two territories as former Portuguese colonies liberated by the same movement.

### Overthrow and Exile
On November 14, 1980, João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira overthrew Luís Cabral in a coup. The coup was driven by ethnic tensions within the military and government, economic hardships, and disputes over the proposed union with Cape Verde. The coup's immediate consequence was the severing of political ties between Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, ending the PAIGC's vision of a unified state. Cabral was forced into exile, where he remained for nearly three decades.

### Death and Historical Context
Luís Cabral died on May 30, 2009, at the age of 78. His death occurred in the same year as the assassination of João Bernardo Vieira, the man who had overthrown him. The timing underscored the profound political instability that has characterized Guinea-Bissau since independence. The country, classified as "partly free" by Freedom House and with a democracy index score of 2.63 (2020), continues to grapple with the legacy of the coups and counter-coups that began with Cabral's ouster.

### Identifiers and Documentation
Luís Cabral is documented across numerous international library and knowledge systems:
- **Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN):** n84220508
- **VIAF ID:** 41962617
- **ISNI:** 0000000038396195
- **SUDOC:** 12669522k
- **IdRef:** 055795749
- **BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France):** IEIV242368
- **Open Library ID:** OL6633980A
- **Freebase MID:** /m/025tdw
- **Wikimedia Commons Category:** Luís Cabral

## References

1. [Source](http://www.didinho.org/Arquivo/NAHORADOADEUSALUISCABRALOSIMBOLISMODASOLIDARIEDADEEDAMULTICULTURALIDADE.htm)
2. International Standard Name Identifier
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
5. Proleksis Encyclopedia
6. Munzinger Personen
7. [Source](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8076565.stm)
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013