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STP Military Coup of 1995

With the change of regime, the military institution did not withdraw any benefit from the process of democratization of the country, because the armed forces of São Tomé and Príncipe continued to be neglected by political power. The FASTP had severe shortages of uniforms and equipment, lack of resources, very low wages (salary an ensign would be, in 1995, equivalent to about from 11 € euros) and with several months of payments in arrears. The situation was such that many of the young people in the age of military service required, which at the time was 30 months, simply did not attend to the call, given the deplorable conditions within the armed forces, where even the food was scarce.

In this picture, there was generated a feeling of revolt in the Army, especially among the young officers, leading to in 15 August 1995, about 40 soldiers commanded by an ensign, take the Presidential Palace and make the President prisoner Miguel Trovoada, elected democratically in 1991.

Indeed, early realized that young people officers sought to take power, they had no a political program, nor had an alternative to governance. They claimed to have revolted against the corruption of the political class, the bad distribution of wealth and the misappropriation of funds from the international aid, at the expense of the living conditions of the Sao Tome people. In fact, the young officers fought for better conditions for the institutions, respect and dignity due for the political class, as well as the payment of overdue wages and increases in salary.

From the first day, the international community exerted downward pressure on the restoration the normal functioning of the institutions democracy, in particular France and Portugal, taking even the Portuguese Government threatened to stop with the military-technical cooperation with Sao Tome and Principe started in 1992. Angola had a role decisive in the negotiations between the authorities Sao Tome and the military are scammers. On 22 August, the military and the representatives political power signed a memorandum of understanding in which accepted the the military claims, in particular as for the constitutional revision required for change the presidential powers, the commitment that the military would listen with respect the choice of Defence Minister, as well as the promise restructuring of the armed forces, promotions and salary increases. In just one week were met the requirements the military and a return to operation normal institutions in Sao Tome.

It is stressed that this military coup took place practically without casualties, without violence and always through negotiation. With the military coup of 1995, Sao Tome and Principe won a new actor in the democratic game.