Killing of Guinea-Bissau rapper sends opposition underground
In the months before opposition activist and rapper Vigario Luis Balanta was beaten to death and his body dumped in a field outside the capital of Guinea-Bissau, his wife begged him to keep a low profile.
In the weeks following the killing of Guinea-Bissau rapper Vigario Luis Balanta, his opposition movement has gone into hiding as they seek ways to end the cycle of coups and violence since the country's independence from Portugal in 1974. Balanta's wife, Dulce, had repeatedly urged him to keep a low profile, expressing her distress upon discovering his body dumped in a field outside the capital.
The military-led government has condemned the killing but remains tight-lipped about the investigation. Opposition presidential contender Fernando Dias claims the takeover has derailed an election he was set to win. Balanta, known for his rap music criticizing political unrest, spoke out against the military crackdown despite facing threats.
His death spread musical tributes from local and international artists, emphasizing his revolutionary consciousness. Po di Terra's new leader, Nado da Cunha, based in Brazil, shares ideas with an inner circle of around 21 members to continue the movement's fight for political freedoms and the rule of law.
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