Carlos Manuel Vila Nova (born 27 July 1959) is a São Toméan politician who is the fifth and current

president of São Tomé and Príncipe President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

, since 2 October 2021. He served as the minister of Public Works and Natural Resources (2010–2012) and minister of Infrastructure, Natural Resources and the Environment (2014–2018) in successive governments of Prime Minister

Patrice Trovoada Patrice Émery Trovoada (born 18 March 1962) is a São Toméan politician who is the 15th prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe since November 2022. He previously served as Prime Minister from February 2008 to June 2008, from August 2010 to ...

. He was the

Independent Democratic Action The Independent Democratic Action ( pt, Acção Democrática Independente) is a political party in São Tomé and Príncipe. It was established in 1994 by the then president Miguel Trovoada and is a politically centrist party. It took part in ...

candidate for the 2021 presidential election.. On 6 September, he was declared president-elect of São Tomé and Príncipe, receiving 58% of the vote and defeating

Guilherme Posser da Costa Guilherme Posser da Costa (born 18 May 1953) is a São Toméan who served as the ninth prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1999 to 2001. Posser da Costa served as Minister of Foreign Affairs: 1987–1988, 1990–1991, and 1994–1996. ...

of the MLSTP/PSD. On 14 September, he was declared president by the Tribunal constitutional court.

Biography

Vila Nova was born in Neves, a city in Lembá District on the northern coast of

São Tomé Island São Tomé Island, at , is the largest island of São Tomé and Príncipe and is home in May 2018 to about 193,380 or 96% of the nation's population. The island is divided into six districts. It is located 2 km (1¼ miles) north of the equ ...

. He received a degree in

telecommunications engineering Telecommunications Engineering is a subfield of electrical engineering which seeks to design and devise systems of communication at a distance. The work ranges from basic circuit design to strategic mass developments. A telecommunication enginee ...

from the University of Oran,

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in 1985, then returned to become the head of the computer department of the government Statistics Directorate. In 1988, he left the civil service to become a sales manager at the Hotel Miramar, which was then the only hotel in the country. He was promoted to Director of the Hotel Miramar in 1992. In 1997, he became Director of the hotel Pousada Boa Vista, and also founded his own travel agency Mistral Voyages. Vila Nova continued in the tourism industry until he entered politics in 2010. Vila Nova served as Minister of Public Works and Natural Resources in the cabinet of

from 2010 until the government lost its majority in 2012. He was appointed Minister of Infrastructure, Natural Resources and the Environment when Trovoada's

(ADI) regained the majority in

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

.. In

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...

, Vila Nova was elected to the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...

. He was nominated as the ADI's candidate for the 2021 presidential election. Vila Nova is married, and has two daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vila Nova, Carlos 1959 births Living people Government ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe Members of the National Assembly (São Tomé and Príncipe) Independent Democratic Action politicians 21st-century São Tomé and Príncipe politicians University of Oran alumni People from Lembá District Heads of state of São Tomé and Príncipe