The assassination of a rapper in Guinea-Bissau has driven the opposition into hiding
In the months leading up to the tragic death of opposition activist and rapper Vigario Luis Balanta, who was brutally beaten and left in a field outside the capital of Guinea-Bissau, his wife implored him to maintain a low profile.
Balanta’s killing in March reverberated through the political movement he established in the West African nation, which has been under military rule since late November. The new leaders of his movement have gone into hiding as they search for solutions to break the cycle of coups and violence that has persisted since independence from Portugal in 1974.
I repeatedly urged him to keep a low profile, to prevent things from escalating to this level,” his wife Dulce shared with Reuters in an interview. The couple had two children, one aged 8 and the other 11.
On the night of his death, Dulce believed her husband was spending time with friends, as he frequently did after public events like the lengthy radio interview he had participated in days before, or that he had been taken into custody. However, the following morning, she became increasingly worried when her calls received no response.
Friends advised her to try the hospital. “I saw them all crying, so I asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ I thought they captured him and beat him a lot,” she said, recalling a previous incident in which unknown men came to the house, took him away, and beat him. “But when I entered, I saw a dead body, and I haven’t been able to get the traumatic image out of my mind.
Po’ di Terra has alleged that the military-led government is shielding his assassins. The government condemned the killing and stated that it is conducting an investigation, refraining from further comments until it is complete.
The government has stated that it assumed control to prevent drug traffickers from taking over a nation that has historically served as a significant cocaine transport hub. Opposition presidential contender Fernando Dias, 47, stated that the takeover disrupted an election he was on track to win.
The rapper addressed the situation following the military crackdown.
Balanta, who was 32 at the time of his death, gained recognition for his rap music that articulated the struggles of growing up in a country with limited opportunities, resonating with young people disillusioned by ongoing political turmoil in Guinea-Bissau. “He was the only person who had the courage and audacity to speak out openly about political and social issues,” remarked Emilio Lima Betungut, a childhood friend and member of the Po’ di Terra political movement that Balanta founded in 2023.
The name can be interpreted as “natives of the land” in Guinean Portuguese.
Following the military officers’ takeover last November, just one day prior to the scheduled election results, authorities imposed stricter control measures.
Nigeria provided protection to Dias at its embassy as authorities detained opposition figures, conducted raids on radio stations, temporarily shut down their offices, and prohibited public protests, unauthorized press conferences, and other expressions of dissent.
Balanta expressed his views nonetheless, including to Reuters, during a demonstration in December.
A representative from the U.N. Human Rights Office stated that they are monitoring the case of his killing and are calling on the government to ensure that those accountable are held to justice.
MUSICAL TRIBUTES CONVEY HIS MESSAGE
Following his passing, both local and international artists shared musical tributes online and in WhatsApp groups.
One tribute from Guinean rapper El Smec D’vas, who resides in Portugal, features Balanta, fist raised, addressing the camera: “They can attempt to abduct my body, but they will never succeed in capturing my revolutionary consciousness.
Po’ di Terra’s new leader, Nado da Cunha, resides in Brazil. An inner circle of approximately 21 members, primarily located in Guinea-Bissau, engages in communication via an encrypted chat group.
In an interview, da Cunha stated, ‘We reached the conclusion that any individual in Guinea-Bissau who succeeds Vigario would face significant risks.’
The group exchanges ideas and information in a chat with approximately 100 members to sustain the movement and foster grassroots support. They aim to inspire the population of approximately 2 million to advocate for political freedoms and the rule of law.
The military government has announced its intention to conduct a constitutional referendum on August 30, with general elections scheduled for December 6, 2026.
Opposition figures declare their commitment to continue the struggle for change.
Dias has returned home, and government guards frequently patrol outside his residence. He expressed to Reuters that he did not feel secure and that he and his supporters encountered limitations, yet he vowed to continue his struggle.
Our people must be liberated from the grasp of those who conspire for a coup,” he stated.
In his latest social media update from July, he urged for the release of his ally, former prime minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, from house arrest.
Close friends such as Betungut express that Balanta’s life and courage remain a source of inspiration for his movement.
He was a courageous man, someone everyone witnessed battling tirelessly, with all his strength, to guarantee that rights were upheld,” he stated.
In the weeks following Balanta’s death, several radio producers informed Reuters that they believed it was too risky to broadcast his music or tributes in his honor.
Po’ di Terra’s new leaders express their commitment to continue advocating for the movement and to honor his legacy.
He understood the possibility of assassination loomed over him at any moment, yet he wished for us to persist in the struggle, to ensure the Movement did not fade away, and to maintain our belief that Guinea-Bissau could transform for the better,” da Cunha stated.
