On 25 June 1975, in Mozambique, at the Machava Stadium on the outskirts of Lourenço Marques, Samora Moisés Machel, President of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and first President of the People’s Republic of Mozambique, proclaimed Mozambique’s independence.
Mozambique, a territory colonised by the Portuguese Empire from the late 15th century and early 16th century. In 1964, the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) launched an armed struggle against the Estado Novo because the latter failed to recognise the demands for autonomy and independence within the territory. The colonial war would end with the military coup of 25 April in Portugal and, following the Lusaka Agreements of 7 September 1974 (which formalised the recognition of Mozambique’s right to independence, with a Provisional Government taking office on 22 September 1974 to prepare the territory for independence; this government was composed of Portuguese representatives and had Joaquim Chissano as Prime Minister), the handover of the administration of the territory of Mozambique to FRELIMO, representing the Mozambican people, took place on 25 June 1975. Present at the ceremonies on behalf of Portugal were Vasco Gonçalves, Prime Minister of the Fourth Provisional Government; Magalhães Mota, Minister without Portfolio; Ernesto Melo Antunes, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mário Soares, Secretary-General of the PS; Álvaro Cunhal, Secretary-General of the PCP and Minister without Portfolio; and Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, Commander of COPCON.
