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MPLA

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (Portuguese: Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, abbr. MPLA), from 1977–1990 called the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola – Labour Party (Portuguese: Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola – Partido do Trabalho), is an Angolan social democratic political party. The MPLA fought against the Portuguese Army in the Angolan War of Independence from 1961 to 1974, and defeated the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) in the Angolan Civil War. The party has ruled Angola since the country's independence from Portugal in 1975, being the de facto government throughout the civil war and continuing to rule afterwards.

For the rebel group in Mali, see People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad.

People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola

MPLA

Paulo Pombolo

10 December 1956 (1956-12-10)

3,000,000[1]

  Red

  •  • "Peace, Work and Liberty"
  •  • "MPLA e os Novos Desafios"[20]
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Formation[edit]

On 10 December 1956, in Estado Novo-ruled Portuguese Angola, the underground Angolan Communist Party (PCA) merged with the Party of the United Struggle for Africans in Angola (PLUAA) to form the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, with Viriato da Cruz, the president of the PCA, as secretary general.[21][22] Other groups later merged into MPLA, such as the Movement for the National Independence of Angola (MINA) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Angola (FDLA).[23]


The MPLA's core base includes the Ambundu ethnic group and the educated intelligentsia of the capital city, Luanda. The party formerly had links to European and Soviet communist parties, but today is a full-member of the Socialist International grouping of social democratic parties. The armed wing of MPLA was the People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA). The FAPLA later became the national armed forces of the country.


In 1961, the MPLA joined the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), its fraternal party in Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde, in direct combat against the Portuguese empire in Africa. The following year, the expanded umbrella group Conference of Nationalist Organizations of the Portuguese Colonies (CONCP) replaced FRAIN, adding FRELIMO of Mozambique and the CLSTP, forerunner of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP).


In the early 1970s, the MPLA's guerrilla activities were reduced, due to the fierce counter-insurgency campaigns of the Portuguese military. At the same time, internal conflicts caused the movement to temporarily split into three factions (Ala Presidencialista or Presidentialist Wing, Revolta Activa or Active Revolt, and Revolta do Leste or Eastern Revolt). By 1974/75, this situation had been overcome with renewed cooperation, but it scarred the party.[24]

Human rights record[edit]

The MPLA government of Angola has been accused of human rights violations such as arbitrary arrest and detention and torture[37] by international organisations, including Amnesty International[38] and Human Rights Watch.[39] The MPLA government hired Samuels International Associates Inc in 2008 to help improve Angola's global image and "'facilitate' its meetings with senior U.S. officials".[40]

Party organizations[edit]

At present, major mass organizations of the MPLA-PT include the Angolan Women's Organization (Organização da Mulher Angolana), National Union of Angolan Workers (União Nacional dos Trabalhadores Angolanos), Agostinho Neto Pioneer Organization (Organização de Pioneiros de Agostinho Neto), and the Youth of MPLA (Juventude do MPLA).

Foreign support[edit]

During both the Portuguese Colonial War and the Angolan Civil War, the MPLA received military and humanitarian support primarily from the governments of Algeria, Brazil,[41] the Bulgarian People's Republic, East Germany,[42] Cape Verde, Czechoslovak Socialist Republic,[43] the Congo, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Mexico, Morocco, the Mozambican People's Republic, Nigeria, North Korea, the Polish People's Republic, China, the Romanian Socialist Republic, São Tomé and Príncipe, Somalia,[44] the Soviet Union, Sudan,[43] Tanzania,[45] Libya[46] and SFR Yugoslavia. While China did briefly support the MPLA,[47] it also actively supported the MPLA's enemies, the FNLA and later UNITA, during the war for independence and the civil war. The switch was the result of tensions between China and the Soviet Union for dominance of the communist bloc, which almost led to war.[48][49]

In 1976, reggae singer dedicated the song and album titled "M.P.L.A" to the movement.[53]

Tapper Zukie

dedicated the song "We Should be in Angola" (which appeared on his album Revolutionary Dream) to the MPLA.[54]

Pablo Moses

singer John Lydon referred to the MPLA in the lyrics of "Anarchy in the U.K.".[55]

The Sex Pistols

The reggae band devoted an extended dub mix record to the movement entitled "MPLA", recorded at Channel One, engineered by King Tubby and released on the "Well Charge" label. The bass line and rhythm was based on "Freedom Blues" by Little Richard. The Revolutionaries also released an extended discomix entitled "Angola". Both tracks were later released on the Revolutionary Sounds album featuring Sly and Robbie.[56]

The Revolutionaries

The video game features a level in which the player fought alongside the UNITA and Jonas Savimbi against the MPLA.[57]

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

The video game sets Missions 13-29 within the environs of the Angola-Zaire border region. Several references to the MPLA, CFA, and UNITA are made--with the in-universe mercenary group Diamond Dogs (led by player character Venom Snake) clashing with or aiding them in different missions.[58]

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

African independence movements

Cuban intervention in Angola

History of Angola

(all MPLA members)

List of current Angolan ministers

Mário Pinto de Andrade

Luzia Inglês Van-Dúnem

David Birmingham, A Short History of Modern Angola, Hurst 2015.

Inge Brinkmann, War, Witches and Traitors: Cases from the MPLA's Eastern Front in Angola (1966–1975), Journal of African History, 44, 2003, pp. 303–325

Mario Albano, Angola: una rivoluzione in marcia, Jaca Book, Milano, 1972

Lúcio Lara, Um amplo movimento: Itinerário do MPLA através de documentos e anotações, vol. I, Até Fevereiro de 1961, 2ª ed., Luanda: Lúcio & Ruth Lara, 1998, vol. II, 1961–1962, Luanda: Lúcio Lara, 2006, vol. III, 1963–1964, Luanda: Lúcio Lara, 2008

(in Portuguese)

Official website

MPLA campaign site