Remembering Colonel Carlos Matos Gomes: A Key Figure in the April Captains Movement

Farewell to a Revolutionary Hero

Carlos Matos Gomes, a prominent colonel who played a vital role in the April Captains Movement, has passed away at the age of 78. The news was shared by his family on his Facebook profile, revealing the circumstances of his death: "It is with deep sadness that I inform you that my father, Carlos Matos Gomes, passed away today, April 13, at the Cuf Tejo Hospital. He left peacefully, accompanied by the songs of April. I will share details about the forthcoming ceremonies here. Thank you all for the love and admiration you had for him."

Matos Gomes, who wrote under the pseudonym Carlos Vale Ferraz, authored several books focusing on the Colonial War, including notable titles such as "Nó Cego", "A Última Viúva de África", and "Os Lobos não Usam Coleira" (1995), which was adapted into a film by António-Pedro Vasconcelos titled "Os Imortais" (2003).

In the previous year, he released his book "Geração D", which he described in an interview with Agência Lusa as a tribute and autobiography of his generation that experienced dictatorship, the Colonial War, and the events of April 25, 1974. He defined Geração D as the generation of Democracy, Desertion, Decolonization, and more, highlighting their journey from a regime characterized by 'madmen of the empire' to liberation.

Born on July 24, 1946, in Vila Nova da Barquinha, Matos Gomes served as an Army officer, completing missions in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. His contributions to Portuguese history and literature will be remembered by many.