biography
| name: |
Vieira, João Bernardo
|
pronunciation:
[vyayra]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1939– )
|
| biography:
| President of Guinea-Bissau (1984–99), born in Bissau, W Guinea-Bissau. He joined the African Party for the Independence of Portuguese Guinea and Cape Verde in 1960, and in 1964 became a member of the political bureau during the war for independence from Portugal. After independence had been achieved in 1974, he served in the government of Luiz Cabral, who appointed him prime minister (1978–80), but in 1980 led the coup which deposed him, becoming chairman of the Council of Revolution and head of state. In 1984 constitutional changes combined the roles of head of state and head of goverment, making Vieira executive president. He was re-elected unopposed in 1989, and in 1994 by a narrow majority. |
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