Maria das Neves

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Maria das Neves Ceita Baptista de Sousa (* 1958 ) was Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 2002 to 2004 .

Political career

Maria das Neves was trained in Cuba and worked for the Ministry of Finance and later for the African Development Bank . In 1999 she became Minister of Economic Affairs, Minister of Finance in 2001 and Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism in 2002. She belongs to the Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe (MLSTP-PSD), founded in 1960 , which ruled as a unity party from 1975 until the introduction of democracy in 1990/1991 . She was considered a confidante of Manuel Pinto da Costa , who led the party until February 2005.

After the failure of the previous governing coalition, President Fradique de Menezes named her Prime Minister on October 3, 2002. During the military coup on July 16, 2003, she and other members of the government were briefly arrested by the coup plotters. She was treated in hospital because of a minor heart attack that she suffered. The coup itself was ended by negotiation after a week and the coup plotters were amnestied . She offered to resign on August 1, 2003, but was confirmed in office by the President. On August 9, 2003, the newly formed government was sworn in.

On 15 September 2004 President Menezes gave her dismissal for corruption charges announced against her and members of her government. In the subsequent debate, Neves also accused the president of bribery. The background was oil concessions, and large oil deposits have been discovered in the waters around the island state in recent years. The MLSTP-PSD nominated Damião Vaz d'Almeida as the new head of government, who replaced Maria das Neves on September 18, 2004.

They also pursued the corruption allegations in 2005. President Menezes threatened the dissolution of parliament if the accused politicians did not renounce their parliamentary immunity .

See also

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Neves, Maria that
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Neves Ceita Baptista de Sousa, Maria das
BRIEF DESCRIPTION São Tomé politician, Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe
DATE OF BIRTH 1958