Graca's Criticism For Mugabe Was Motivated By Revenge For Marriage Snub: Declassified US Documents

According to recently declassified United States intelligence documents, Graca Machel’s criticism of former president Robert Mugabe may have been motivated by the fact that Mugabe snubbed an offer to marry her. Mugabe also made disparaging remarks which Graca learned of. Part of a memo with the subject, “Graca Machel and Robert Mugabe – A woman scorned gets her revenge?” reads

Graca Machel’s enmity toward Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is not entirely motivated by her morale (sic) outrage over his handling of Zimbabwean affairs or the government’s refusal to allow her and ‘The Elders’ to visit. Much of her enmity comes from his refusal to marry her when previously asked…conversations took place several years ago among regional leaders on what to do with Graca? Graca, as the deceased Mozambican President Samora Machel’s widow, was considered the most important widow in the region and it was considered an obligation that someone at her level take her on.

[Mugabe] adamantly refused and made disparaging remarks about her that made it to Graca…Since then, Graca has had it in for Mugabe and her service as one of ‘The Elders’ gave her the perfect opportunity to get her revenge.

After The Elders were denied entry into Zimbabwe in 2008, Graca said,

Any government who goes out and assaults its own citizens, its own people, has lost completely any kind of legitimacy.

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