Mozambique Elections & Venâncio Mondlane Top 2024 Lusa Awards
The 2024 general elections in Mozambique and the subsequent wave of deadly unrest have been named the most significant events in the Lusophone world this year by journalists at Lusa, the Portuguese news agency. Venâncio Mondlane, the opposition leader who has spearheaded protests against the official results, was selected as the regional Personality of the Year.
Mozambican Crisis Dominates the Luso-Sphere
Mozambique’s political landscape took center stage in the annual vote, which included 76 journalists. The general election, where the ruling Frelimo party’s declared victory is being fiercely contested by the opposition, garnered 60 votes. The journalists cited both the electoral process and the subsequent violence—which has resulted in dozens of deaths since October—as the year’s defining narrative.
Venâncio Mondlane, the presidential candidate who has challenged the status quo through a series of paralyzing national strikes and demonstrations, comfortably won the Personality of the Year title with 39 votes. Other notable figures in the category included Cape Verdean boxer David Pina, who secured his country’s first-ever Olympic medal, and Camões Prize-winning poet Adélia Prado.
The Mozambican crisis overshadowed other major regional news, such as the devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and the ongoing political instability in Guinea-Bissau.
Portugal: Political Shifts and Social Unrest
On the national front, Lusa journalists identified Portugal’s shift in political leadership as the top event. The elections that brought the PSD/CDS coalition to power received 38 votes. Closely following was the death of Odair Moniz and the subsequent civil unrest in the Lisbon metropolitan area, which received 24 votes.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro was named National Personality of the Year for leading his coalition to victory. He narrowly beat out Olympic cycling champions Iuri Leitão and Rui Oliveira. Former Prime Minister António Costa, who transitioned from a domestic judicial scandal to his new role as President of the European Council, followed in third place.
Global Recognition: The Trump Return
Reflecting broader global trends, the journalists overwhelmingly chose Donald Trump as the International Personality of the Year following his successful bid to return to the White House. Trump received 41 votes, placing him ahead of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Venezuelan opposition figure Corina Machado.
The U.S. presidential election was also ranked as the most significant international event of 2024. This was followed by the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the catastrophic flash floods in Spain that claimed over 200 lives in October.
The annual Lusa vote has been a tradition since 2016, with the list of candidates compiled by the agency’s news directorate and editors. Comprehensive features detailing each of the chosen winners and events are scheduled for publication on December 7.
Image: Pexels – Edmond Dantès
