Leandro Bonaparte

Leandro Bonaparte was the chief of the São Francisco party, described by Plácido de Abreu in his 1886 book "Os Capoeiras" as "the great centre" of the Guaiamú federation. The São Francisco party was the most important of the Guaiamú parishes, and Bonaparte's leadership made him one of the most powerful figures in Rio de Janeiro's capoeira underworld.

The Guaiamú and Nagoa were the two major federations that controlled the capoeira maltas of Rio de Janeiro during the second half of the 19th century. While the Nagoas operated in the peripheral Cidade Velha and allied with the Conservative Party, the Guaiamús controlled the central Cidade Nova and aligned with the Republicans of the Liberal Party. Their rivalry played out in bloody street battles, political violence, and ritualized confrontations.

Under Bonaparte's leadership, the Guaiamú federation included the parishes of São Francisco, Santa Rita, Marinha, Ouro Preto, and São Domingos de Gusmão, along with numerous smaller affiliated gangs. These groups were known as "houses" or "provinces", and members identified themselves by wearing red - the color of the Guaiamú. When enemy capoeiras met in a tavern, the Guaiamú would pour brandy on the ground and dance on it, then pour red wine over the brandy - symbolically stepping on the Nagoa's white color and placing their red above it. This gesture was enough to start a fight, as no capoeira would tolerate seeing his color stepped upon.

The Guaiamú trained their novices on the hill of Livramento at a place called "Mango Tree". The rehearsals took place regularly on Sunday mornings and consisted of head and foot exercises and knife and razor blows. The most famous capoeiras served as instructors. Training progressed from clean hands to wooden weapons to actual blades.

The maltas were organized with military precision: chief, assistant, policemen, and rank-and-file soldiers. This structure allowed them to function both as territorial protection networks and as political muscle. During elections, capoeiras were hired as capangas (henchmen) by politicians to intimidate voters and attack opposition newspapers. The Liberal-aligned Guaiamú specifically targeted the Conservative-supporting press.

Bonaparte's São Francisco party, along with the other Guaiamú groups, represented a new phase in capoeira history. The Guaiamús were characterized by their mixed composition - unlike the Nagoas, who were reportedly limited to African-born practitioners, the Guaiamú assimilated immigrants (particularly Portuguese after 1850), Creoles, free men, and even intellectuals. This diversity brought new weapons to capoeira: the razor is specifically attributed to Portuguese influence within the Guaiamú ranks.