Carmen Souza few times, once on a family trip when she was ten and again as an adult in 2010, she grew up speaking Creole and eating Cape Verdean cuisine. While still a child, she began singing gospel music in the church choir. Her parents maintained close ties with the diaspora, and Souza's childhood was filled with the music and culture of Cape Verde, along with that of the former Portuguese colonies of Angola, Brazil, Mozambique and São Tomé. Souza's father, Antonio, a merchant sailor, insisted she should learn English and German. After spending just one year at college, she left to
Brazil–Mozambique relations United Nations Resolution 3117 on the elimination of colonialism in Southern Africa. On 25 June 1975, Mozambique obtained its independence. On 15 November 1975, Brazil recognized and established diplomatic relations with Mozambique. In March 1976, Brazil opened an embassy in the Mozambican capital of Maputo and in January 1998, Mozambique reciprocated the gesture by opening an embassy in Brasília. In 2000, Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso paid an official visit to Mozambique and attended the 3rd summit of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries being held in the Mozambican capital. In 2001, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano paid an official visit