People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola

political party in Angola

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, also known as MPLA is a left-wing political party and a popular movement from Angola. The MPLA fought against the colonial Second Portuguese Republic (Estado Novo) in the Angolan War of Independence. The party has been the dominant party in Angola since the country's independence in 1975.

People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola
AbbreviationMPLA
ChairmanJoão Lourenço
Secretary-GeneralÁlvaro de Boavida Neto
FounderAgostinho Neto, Viriato da Cruz
Founded10 December 1956 (1956-12-10) (64 years ago)
HeadquartersLuanda, Angola
NewspaperJornal de Angola
Paramilitary wingPeople's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola
IdeologySocialism, Marxism–Leninism, Populism
Political positionCentre-left to Far-left
International affiliationSocialist International
SloganPeace, Work and Liberty
Party flag
Website
www.mpla.ao

Foreign support change

During both the Portuguese Colonial War and the Angolan Civil War, the MPLA received military, political and humanitarian support primarily from the governments of Algeria, the Bulgarian, East Germany,[1] Cape Verde, Czechoslovak,[2] the Congo, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Morocco, the Mozambique, Nigeria, North Korea, the Polish People's Republic, China, the Romania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Somalia,[3] the Soviet Union, Sudan,[2] Tanzania,[4] Libya[5] and SFR Yugoslavia. While China did briefly support the MPLA,[6] China also actively supported UNITA and Jonas Savimbi after Sino-Soviet split.

References change

  1. Howe, Herbert M (2004). Ambiguous Order: Military Forces In African States. p. 81.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Wright, George (1997). The Destruction of a Nation: United States Policy Towards Angola Since 1945. pp. 9–10.
  3. Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges; Immanuel Maurice Wallerstein (1986). The Crisis in Zaire. pp. 193–194.
  4. "Angola-Ascendancy of the MPLA". www.mongabay.com. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  5. Gebril, Mahmoud (1988), Imagery and Ideology in U.S. Policy Toward Libya 1969–1982, p. 70
  6. China Study Centre (India) (1964). China Report. p. 25.