Mozambique’s decade-long struggle for independence from Portugal resulted in more than 50,000 civilian deaths. The European colonial power desperately struggled to hold on to a territory rich in natural gas, coal, gemstones, graphite and gold as well as the fourth largest coastline on the continent. As with many of the African wars for independence, Portugal went to extraordinary lengths to maintain its power for as long as possible, committing horrendous acts to attempt to suppress the revolutionary guerrilla movement – FRELIMO.

Some of the worst perpetrators of crimes against humanity during the war were PIDE – the Portuguese Secret Police. Within colonial Mozambique, they were headquartered in ornate residential building near the center of the city named Vila Algarve. The building served not only as an administrative post, but also the principal location where PIDE officers would torture and commit horrendous acts in attempts to gain confessions or other sensitive information on FRELIMOs independence activities from civilians. Testimonies from survivors detail the depraved acts committed as the Portuguese struggled to maintain control over the Mozambican territory. The story of Villa Algarve shows the dark capacities of man to go to extraordinary lengths to dehumanize their fellow man in their attempt to maintain power and control.

Since independence in 1975, the building has sat vacant and gradually become dilapidated save the striking colors contained in the tin-glazed painted ceramic tile azulejos decorating the exterior. The “Villa al Garve” project by Amilton Neves leads us on an empathetic journey through photographing the intangible atmospheric presence inside current-day Villa al Garve and relics of PIDEs presence paired with the harrowing recollections of the survivors once held there.