Carlos Graça

Carlos Alberto Monteiro Dias da Graça ( born December 22, 1931 † April 17, 2013 ) was from 1994 to 1995 Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Political career

Carlos Graça was a doctor by profession and a member of the party was founded in 1960 Movimento de São Tomé e Príncipe de Libertação ( MLSTP ) who ruled as Unity Party after 1975 until the introduction of democracy 1990/1991. In 1975 he was a member of the Constituent Assembly. After independence, the island nation of Portugal, he became Minister of Health.

After his release, he went first to Gabon and he undertook in early 1978 with mercenaries a coup attempt which failed. For sentenced in March 1979 he missed to 24 years in prison. As part of a general national reconciliation, he was amnestied in 1985 and was able to return. He separated himself from the opposition group FRNSTP which he had led in exile in Gabon.

From 1988 to 1990 he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, after which he became Secretary General of the former Unity Party, which changed its name now under the new name MLSTP - PSD. In the first free elections on January 20, 1991 his party suffered 30.5 % of the vote a defeat. Between 1988 and 1991 he was a member of the Parliament.

On October 25, 1994, he became Prime Minister after the election victory of his party. A military coup interrupted his term of office on 15 August 1995. Six days later the coup attempt was ended by negotiation. Da Graça resigned on 31 December 1995. In the presidential elections of 30 June 1996 he achieved as an independent candidate in the first ballot 5,4 % of the votes and was eliminated.

Recently (2005) he was again a member of parliament and represents the organization Forum Francophone des Affaires in his country address.