Casimiro Monteiro
Encyclopedia
Casimiro Emérito Rosa Teles Jordão Monteiro (Born? - Died 1993), also known as Agente Montiero, was a notorious figure in Portuguese Goa. As PIDE agent, Montiero carried out the high profile assassinations of Humberto Delgado
, opposition leader to Salzaar's Portuguese Dictatorship and Eduardo Mondlane
leader of Frelimo.
In 1950/51, whilst living in London, Montiero was involved in the killing of a jeweller during a robbery. He fled to Goa with his family.
His abuse of power extended to abducting wealthy locals for ransom, desecrating Hindu temples, and generally spreading fear. In the mid-1950s and 1960s there were tiatr (theatre drama) and songs, where Monteiro was depicted as a feared torturer and murderer.
Monteiro's excesses led to Portuguese investigators to eventually arrested him (he was tortured to obtain information on his ill-gotten wealth). Monteiro is reported to have placed bombs in Goa after Liberation.
(the dreaded Portuguese Secret Service) and in 1965 he assassinated Humberto Delgado
(Portuguese Opposition Leader to Salazar's Dictatorship) in Spain. Monteiro, who had shot Delgado and strangled his Secretary, was found guilty by the Spanish Courts and was sentenced for 19 years in absentia.
In the late 1960s, Monteiro went to Mozambique (as a PIDE Agent) to fight against FRELIMO (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique), a liberation movement fighting for the independence of Mozambique.
He crossed into Tanzania, where most FRELIMO fighters were based and assassinated Eduardo Mondlane
, Founder of FRELIMO, with a parcel bomb in 1969. He was known to use a Katana Samurai sword to kill opposition activists.
He moved to South Africa, where he spend the remainder of his life under the name of Jose Fernandez. He died in poverty in 1993, at Richards Bay, South Africa.
Humberto Delgado
Humberto da Silva Delgado, GCL was a General of the Portuguese Air Force and politician.Delgado was born in Brogueira, Torres Novas. He was the son of Joaquim Delgado and wife Maria do Ó Pereira and had three younger sisters, Deolinda, Aida and Lídia....
, opposition leader to Salzaar's Portuguese Dictatorship and Eduardo Mondlane
Eduardo Mondlane
Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane served as President of the Mozambican Liberation Front from 1962, the year that FRELIMO was founded in Tanzania, until his assassination in 1969.-Early life:...
leader of Frelimo.
Early life
Monteiro was born to Portuguese & Goan Parents in Goa, India (then a Portuguese colony). He lived in Portugal for sometime before joining General Franco's Army in the Spanish Civil War. Later he served with the Blue Division Volunteers for Nazis Germany at Stalingrad.In 1950/51, whilst living in London, Montiero was involved in the killing of a jeweller during a robbery. He fled to Goa with his family.
Goa-Portuguese Colonial Era
In the 1950s, Montiero joined the Portuguese Colonial Police in Goa, where he was known to have interrogated Goan liberation activists; with his brutal beatings, he had maimed scores of prisoners and had beaten to death several political prisoners (see James Fernandes' book on QUEST FOR FREEDOM). Ironically, one of the places Monteiro tortured his victims was Valpoi, which today is used by Goa Police to torture suspects.His abuse of power extended to abducting wealthy locals for ransom, desecrating Hindu temples, and generally spreading fear. In the mid-1950s and 1960s there were tiatr (theatre drama) and songs, where Monteiro was depicted as a feared torturer and murderer.
Monteiro's excesses led to Portuguese investigators to eventually arrested him (he was tortured to obtain information on his ill-gotten wealth). Monteiro is reported to have placed bombs in Goa after Liberation.
PIDE Agent (Portuguese Secret Service)
After Goa's Liberation by the Indian Army in 1961, Monteiro was recruited by PIDEPIDE
In 1969, Marcello Caetano changed the name PIDE to DGS . The death of Salazar and the subsequent ascension of Caetano brought some attempts at democratization, in order to avoid popular insurgency against censorship, the ongoing colonial war and the general restriction of civil rights...
(the dreaded Portuguese Secret Service) and in 1965 he assassinated Humberto Delgado
Humberto Delgado
Humberto da Silva Delgado, GCL was a General of the Portuguese Air Force and politician.Delgado was born in Brogueira, Torres Novas. He was the son of Joaquim Delgado and wife Maria do Ó Pereira and had three younger sisters, Deolinda, Aida and Lídia....
(Portuguese Opposition Leader to Salazar's Dictatorship) in Spain. Monteiro, who had shot Delgado and strangled his Secretary, was found guilty by the Spanish Courts and was sentenced for 19 years in absentia.
In the late 1960s, Monteiro went to Mozambique (as a PIDE Agent) to fight against FRELIMO (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique), a liberation movement fighting for the independence of Mozambique.
He crossed into Tanzania, where most FRELIMO fighters were based and assassinated Eduardo Mondlane
Eduardo Mondlane
Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane served as President of the Mozambican Liberation Front from 1962, the year that FRELIMO was founded in Tanzania, until his assassination in 1969.-Early life:...
, Founder of FRELIMO, with a parcel bomb in 1969. He was known to use a Katana Samurai sword to kill opposition activists.
Later life
He returned to Portugal, but after the 1974 Carnation Revolution, which overthrew the Portuguese Dictatorship, Monteiro took refuge in the South African Embassy.He moved to South Africa, where he spend the remainder of his life under the name of Jose Fernandez. He died in poverty in 1993, at Richards Bay, South Africa.