Nito Alves
Encyclopedia
Nito Alves served as the Interior Minister
of Angola
from independence, November 11, 1975, until President Agostinho Neto
abolished the position in October 1976. A hard-line member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, Alves is best known for his failed coup d'état
, known as Fraccionismo
, against Neto.
Alves opposed Neto's foreign policy of non-alignment, evolutionary socialism, and multiracialism. Alves favored stronger relations with the Soviet Union
, which he wanted to grant military bases in Angola. He represented the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
at the 25th Soviet Communist Party Congress in February 1977.
On May 21 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 Cuba
n 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 Malange. After the failed coup the MPLA undertook a purge designed to eliminate factionalism within the party that killed thousands.
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
of Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
from independence, November 11, 1975, until President Agostinho Neto
Agostinho Neto
António Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
abolished the position in October 1976. A hard-line member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, Alves is best known for his failed coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, known as Fraccionismo
Fraccionismo
Fractionism was a political movement in Angola which culminated in the attempted coup d'etat on 27 May 1977 against Agostinho Neto, led by a leading figure of the MPLA, , Nito Alves...
, against Neto.
Alves opposed Neto's foreign policy of non-alignment, evolutionary socialism, and multiracialism. Alves favored stronger relations with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, which he wanted to grant military bases in Angola. He represented the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola - Labour Party is a political party that has ruled Angola since the country's independence from Portugal in 1975...
at the 25th Soviet Communist Party Congress in February 1977.
On May 21 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
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
in an attempted coup. Forces loyal to Neto took back the radio and arrested those involved in the coup attempt. While Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n soldiers actively helped Neto put down the coup, Alves claimed that the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
supported the coup. British mercenaries in prison in Luanda refused to become involved.
Alves's power base was centered on Malange. After the failed coup the MPLA undertook a purge designed to eliminate factionalism within the party that killed thousands.