Aurélio Pires Quaresma Martins (born November 24, 1966) is a

São Tomé São Tomé is the capital and largest city of the Central African island country of São Tomé and Príncipe. Its name is Portuguese for " Saint Thomas". Founded in the 15th century, it is one of Africa's oldest colonial cities. History Álva ...

an journalist, businessman and politician, who until May 2018 was leader of the

Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy F ...

(MLSTP/PSD).

Journalist and businessman

Martins started his career as a journalist at São Tomé and Príncipe's National Radio (Rádio Nacional) between 1984 and 1985, and later worked at Angola's National Radio (RNA) from 1999 to 2007. He is the head of construction and security company Gibela Group and president of FAMA (Aurélio Martins' Foundation).

Political career

Martins was elected to the

National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

for the

Lobata District Lobata is a district of São Tomé and Príncipe, on São Tomé Island. Its area is , and its population is 19,365 (2012).2010 legislative election and afterwards became president of the Humans Rights, Citizenship and Gender Commission in the National Assembly. He was elected President of the MLSTP/PSD on the party's ordinary congress in January 2011. Aurélio Martins was his party's candidate in the 2011 presidential election, but got only 4.06% of the votes and lost to former and MLSTP leader

Manuel Pinto da Costa Manuel Pinto da Costa (born 5 August 1937) is a Santomean economist and politician who served as the first president of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1975 to 1991. He again served as president from 2011 to 2016. Life and career Educated in Eas ...

Downfall

He was suspended from the party in mid-May 2018 due to backing the government's dismissal of three supreme court justices (incl. the court's president) who had ruled in favour of handing over the

Rosema Brewery Rosema may refer to: * ''Rosema'' (moth) a tropical moth genus * 6472 Rosema, a minor planet * Rocky Rosema, American football player {{dab, surname ...

in Neves - controlled by the party's largest donor Antonio Monteiros and his brother Domingos Monteiros, who were both MPs for the party - to an Angolan businessman. He was replaced as party president with

Jorge Bom Jesus Jorge Lopes Bom Jesus (born 26 July 1962), also known as JBJ, is a Santomean linguist and politician who was the 17th Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 3 December 2018 to 10 November 2022. He is a member of the Movement for the Libe ...

at an extraordinary congress on 30 June.

Honours

Martins was elected Figura do Ano (“São Toméan of the Year”) in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martins, Aurelio 1966 births Living people São Tomé and Príncipe businesspeople São Tomé and Príncipe journalists People from São Tomé Members of the National Assembly (São Tomé and Príncipe) Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party politicians 21st-century São Tomé and Príncipe politicians