Amilcar Cabral founded the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) to persuade Portugal to grant independence for the two colonies. Cabral hoped to resolve the issue diplomatically, but was willing to use military force if that became necessary — which it did. For a decade, Cabral’s guerrilla fighters systematically took over increasingly larger portions of the country, culminating in a declaration of independence followed shortly by a military coup overthrowing the Spanish governor of the colonies.

On September 10, 1974, the United States became one of the first countries to recognize the independent Republic of Guinea-Bissau. President Gerald R. Ford sent a letter declaring U.S. recognition to President of the Council of State Luis de Akmeida Cabral.

Cabral’s brother was named the first president of the country, but democracy would not take root. Four years after the country’s first multiparty elections in 1994, a military coup deposed the president, and a civil war broke out. In 2000, a new president took power, only be deposed and arrested himself. The pattern of military coups and civil unrest continues to this day.