Post-Cold War Instability - 1995-2003
President Miguel Trovoada and Prime Minister Carlos da Graça were overthrown in a military coup led by Lt. Fernando Sousa Pontes and Lt. Manuel Quintas de Almeida on August 15, 1995. One member of the presidential guard and one government soldier were killed during the military coup. The military coup was condemned by the governments of France, Portugal, U.S., Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Mozambique, and South Africa. The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) also condemned the military coup. Lt. Manuel Quintas de Almeida appointed Francisco Fortunato Pires as interim president on August 17, 1995. The Angolan government offered to mediate negotiations between the parties on August 17, 1995, and External Relations Minister Venancio da Silva Moura of Angola mediated negotiations between the parties on August 18-21, 1995. President Trovoada and Prime Minister Carlos da Graça were restored to power on August 21, 1995.
President Miguel Trovoada appointed Armindo Vaz de Almeida as prime minister on December 29, 1995. The first round of presidential elections was held on June 30, 1996. President Miguel Trovoada was re-elected with 53 percent of the vote in a run-off election on July 21, 1996. The government of Prime Minister Armindo Vaz d’Almeida collapsed after a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly on September 20, 1996. President Miguel Trovoada appointed Raul Braganca as prime minister on November 13, 1996. Legislative elections were held on November 8, 1998, and the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe – Social Democratic Party (Movimento Libertacao de São Tomé e Príncipe – Partido Social Democrata – MLSTP-PSD) won 31 out of 55 seats in the National Assembly. The Democratic Convergence Party (Partido de Convergencia Democratica-PCD) won eight seats in the National Assembly.
The Organization of African Unity (OAU), Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), and Portugal sent observers to monitor the legislative elections. Guilherme Posser da Costa of the MLSTP-PSD formed a government as prime minister on January 5, 1999. Fradique de Menezes of the Independent Democratic Action (Acção Democrática Independente – ADI) was elected president with 56 percent of the vote on July 29, 2001, and he was inaugurated as president on September 3, 2001. Manuel Pinto da Costa of the MLSTP-PSD won 38 percent of the vote. The governments of Angola, Taiwan, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, and Nigeria sent observers to monitor the presidential election. President Menezes formed a government of “presidential initiative” on September 26, 2001, resulting in a boycott of the National Assembly by the MLSTP-PSD beginning on September 27, 2001.
President Menezes dissolved the National Assembly on December 8, 2001. Legislative elections were held on March 3, 2002, and the MLSTP-PSD won 24 out of 55 seats in the National Assembly. The coalition consisting of the Democratic Movement of Forces for Change-Liberal Party (Movimento Democrático das Forças da Mudança-Partido Liberal – MDFM-PL) and the Democratic Convergence Party (Partido de Convergencia Democratica – PCD) won 23 seats in the National Assembly. President Fradique de Menzes appointed Gabriel Costa as prime minister on March 26, 2002. On April 24, 2002, Major Fernando Pereira, a member of the armed forces of São Tomé and Príncipe, publicly complained of poor living conditions in the military barracks, the six-months arrears of wages, and obsolete military equipment. President Fradique de Menzes dismissed the government of Prime Minister Gabriel Costa on September 27, 2002. President Fradique de Menzes appointed Maria das Neves of the MLSTP as prime minister on October 7, 2002.
In December 2002, the National Assembly approved an amendment to the constitution which would limit the executive powers of the president and strengthen the legislative powers of the National Assembly. President Fradique de Menzes dissolved the National Assembly and called for early elections on January 22, 2003. After an agreement to delay the implementation of the constitutional amendment to 2006, President Fradique de Menzes rescinded his decision to dissolve the National Assembly on January 28, 2003. Government police clashed with protesters in São Tomé on April 17, 2003, resulting in the death of one individual. On June 15, 2003, Major Fernando Pereira sent a list of demands to President Fradique de Menzes and Prime Minister Maria des Neves.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
