João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira became President of Guinea-Bissau in 2005. Vieira returned to power in 2005 after winning the presidential election only six years after being ousted from office during a civil war.
Previously, he held power for 19 years after taking power in 1980 in a bloodless coup. In that action, he toppled the government of Luís Cabral. He was reported killed on March 2nd 2009 by soldiers in retaliation for the killing of the head of the joint chiefs of staff, General Tagme Na Waie.