Cipriano Cassamá

Cassamá was President Nino Vieira's spokesman at the time of the 1998–1999 civil war.[http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=6248 "Guinea-Bissau: Fadul in Italy"], IRIN, April 23, 2008."Bissau official says premier-designate lied about shelling", Portuguese TV (nl.newsbank.com), February 2, 1999. After Prime Minister Francisco Fadul compared Vieira to Antonio de Oliveira Salazar during a visit to Portugal on April 19, 1999, Cassamá criticized Fadul for the use of "purposely offensive, aggressive language". Following the civil war, in which Vieira was ousted, Cassamá was arrested along with Conduto de Pina in early February 2000 for allegedly inciting war and supporting foreign occupation."Two associates of ousted Guinea Bissau president arrested", RTP Internacional TV, Lisbon (nl.newsbank.com), February 2, 2000. He was later charged with embezzlement along with a number of others who had served under Vieira, but was acquitted by the Regional Court in Bissau in early June 2003."Guinea-Bissau: Court acquits eight ex-governors, others charged with fraud", RDP Africa web site (nl.newsbank.com), June 5, 2003. He subsequently served as President of the PAIGC Parliamentary Group. Although PAIGC repudiated Vieira, Cassamá was among those who welcomed Vieira back to Bissau when he returned from exile on April 7, 2005.[http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=53798 "Nino Vieira returns from exile to a hero's welcome"], IRIN, April 7, 2005.

On March 17, 2008, Cassamá presented his candidacy to stand for the post of President of PAIGC at the next party congress, saying that he could renew and reunite the party.[https://web.archive.org/web/20180929235016/http://www.inforpress.cv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2829&Itemid=65 "Guiné-Bissau: Cipriano Cassamá, antigo líder parlamentar do PAIGC, apresenta candidatura à liderança do partido"], Inforpress, March 17, 2008 {{in lang|pt}}. He was considered a dissident within the party. At PAIGC's Seventh Ordinary Congress, which was held in Gabú,[http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article&id_article=67727 "7ème congrès du PAIGC à 200 km à l’est de Bissau"]{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, African Press Agency, June 26, 2008 {{in lang|fr}}. Carlos Gomes Júnior was re-elected as PAIGC President on July 1–2, 2008;[http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article&id_article=68258 "L’ancien Premier ministre bissau guinéen Carlos Gomis, réélu président du PAIGC"]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, African Press Agency, July 2, 2008 {{in lang|fr}}. Cassamá was a candidate, but received only 61 votes, placing fourth.[https://noticias.sapo.pt/lusa/artigo/c0bef7e8df6ab0a474a9cc.html "PAIGC/Congresso: Candidatura de Malam Bacai Sanhá ainda não reconheceu resultados e admite irregularidades na contagem dos votos"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015247/http://noticias.sapo.pt/lusa/artigo/c0bef7e8df6ab0a474a9cc.html |date=2018-06-17 }}, Lusa, July 2, 2008 {{in lang|pt}}.

File:Cipriano Cassamá and Vyacheslav Volodin.jpg in Moscow, Russia on 20 March 2023]]

Cassamá was appointed as Minister of the Interior on August 9, 2008, in the government of Prime Minister Carlos Correia.[http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=72113 "Guinea-Bissau gets 21 new cabinet ministers"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20081201182859/http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=72113 |date=2008-12-01 }}, African Press Agency, August 10, 2008.[http://www.panapress.com/freenewspor.asp?code=por016470&dte=09/08/2008 "Novo primeiro-ministro bissau-guineense forma Governo"], Panapress, August 9, 2008 {{in lang|pt}}. His appointment as Interior Minister was considered particularly important because of the ministry's responsibility for handling the November 2008 parliamentary election. In that election, PAIGC won a majority of 67 out of 100 seats in the National People's Assembly, and Cassamá was elected to a seat as a PAIGC candidate in the 10th constituency, Safim e Prabis.Litos Sanca, [https://web.archive.org/web/20081202162213/http://www.agenciabissau.com/portal.aspx?link=public%2Fviewnews.ascx&menuindex=0&newsid=1538 "RESULTADOS DEFINITIVOS E LISTA NOMINAL DOS DEPUTADOS DAS ELEIÇÕES LEGISLATIVAS DE 2008"], Agência Bissau, November 27, 2008 {{in lang|pt}}.

Following an alleged attack by "elements of the presidential guard" against the Armed Forces Chief of Staff, General Batista Tagme Na Wai, on January 4, 2009, Tagme Na Wai accused Cassamá of ordering the attack. A presidential guard spokesman said that a rifle had accidentally gone off and that no assassination attempt had occurred.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090129202216/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/08/content_10624813.htm "Guinea-Bissau army chief: interior minister behind shooting incident"], Xinhua, January 8, 2009. Cassamá was not included in the PAIGC government that was appointed on January 7, 2009; Lúcio Soares was appointed to replace him as Interior Minister.[http://www.panapress.com/freenewspor.asp?code=por002218&dte=08/01/2009 "Novo governo na Guiné-Bissau"], Panapress, January 8, 2009 {{in lang|pt}}.

He has been chairing the CPLP Parliamentary Assembly since July 2021.

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{{s-bef|before= Ibraima Sori Djaló}}

{{s-ttl|title= President of the National People’s Assembly|years=2014–2023}}

{{s-aft|after= Domingos Simões Pereira}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassama, Cipriano}}

Category:Members of the National People's Assembly (Guinea-Bissau)

Category:Government ministers of Guinea-Bissau

Category:African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde politicians

Category:Living people

Category:Presidents of Guinea-Bissau

Category:Presidents of the National People's Assembly (Guinea-Bissau)

Category:1959 births

Category:People from Cacheu region