 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kwechikamu chino - Mumakore ekuma1960, Santos akatangawo kutora chikamu muchirongwa chekusunungura nyika dzeAfrica dzinotaura chiPutukezi. Akaiswa mujeri mukutanga kwema1970 nekuda kwebasa rake neBrazilian Communist Party. Pashure pokusunungurwa kwake, akasarudza kubva muBrazil. Santos akaramba kukokwa kuti aende kune yaimbova Soviet Union uye pachinzvimbo akasarudza kuzviburitsa muAfrica, kwaakagara kwemakore anenge mashanu. Akatora rutivi zvakasimba mukusunungurwaGuinea-Bissau neAngola sesangano remagandanga. Akashandawo muzvirongwa zvekuvandudza tsika nemagariro uye kuverenga nekunyora, achibatsira kuvakazve tsika muGuinea-Bissau, Angola, neCape Verde. 