VERISSMO CORREIA SEABRA.

Veríssimo Correia Seabra was born on February 16, 1947, in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, and was a member of the Papel ethnic group. He began his political and military journey at the young age of 16 when he joined the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) as a guerrilla fighter, participating in the struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. His commitment to the cause soon took him abroad, where he pursued studies in electronic engineering in Bulgaria in 1966 and later attended an artillery school in the Soviet Union in 1971. With these skills, he returned to the war front, leading an artillery unit near Guinea’s southern border. His training continued with officer courses in Portugal in 1976.

After Guinea-Bissau gained independence, Correia Seabra became a key figure within the PAIGC's internal politics. He played a significant role in the 1980 military coup that overthrew President Luís Cabral, solidifying his position in the nation's military and political scene. His career continued to progress, including a stint as the deputy head of the Guinea-Bissau military contingent in the United Nations mission in Angola from 1991 to 1992. By 1994, he advanced to head of operations in the military high command.

Correia Seabra's involvement in the military extended to moments of significant national upheaval. He joined forces with General Ansumane Mané in the 1998 uprising against President João Bernardo Vieira, which eventually spiraled into a brief but intense civil war. His participation in the May 1999 military coup led to President Vieira's ouster. Following this, Correia Seabra was appointed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and subsequently became the Minister of Defense under President Kumba Ialá's administration in early 2000. A conflict with General Mané later that year saw Mané attempt to place Correia Seabra under house arrest, but Seabra managed to escape. This led to clashes that culminated in Mané's death, allowing Correia Seabra to retain his position.

As President Ialá's government grew more unstable and tensions rose over unpaid wages to soldiers, Correia Seabra issued a stark warning, emphasizing the possibility of military intervention. True to his word, he led a bloodless coup on September 14, 2003, removing Ialá from power. The coup was generally welcomed by the people of Guinea-Bissau, despite international criticism. Seabra then established the Military Committee for the Restoration of Constitutional and Democratic Order, facilitating a transition to civilian rule. This process included convening political, religious, and civil society leaders to form a new interim government, with Henrique Rosa appointed as the caretaker president. Parliamentary elections were successfully held on March 28, 2004, marking a step toward stability.

However, the challenges of governance persisted, particularly around the issue of unpaid military wages. On October 6, 2004, a mutiny erupted among soldiers over their unpaid salaries, and the situation quickly turned violent. During the unrest, Correia Seabra and his aide, Lieutenant Colonel Domingos Barros, were detained by the mutineers and subsequently beaten to death. His death led to calls from figures like Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio for a return to order in Guinea-Bissau.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ver%C3%ADssimo_Correia_Seabra