Tomé Soares da Vera Cruz (born 23 July 1956) was the 14th

prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a Product (mathematics), product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime ...

from April 2006 to February 2008. He is also Secretary-General of the Force for Change Democratic Movement-Liberal Party (MDFM-PL). In addition to becoming Prime Minister, he became Minister of Information and Regional Integration.

Biography

He attended the National Lyceum in São Tomé and finished in 1975, when the nation became independent. In 1983, he attended at the

Politehnica University of Timișoara Politehnica University of Timișoara (; abbreviated UPT) is a public university in Timișoara. Founded in 1920, it is one of the largest institute of technology, technical universities in Central and Eastern Europe. The 10 faculties of the univ ...

in Romania and was trained as an electrical engineer. Vera Cruz served as director general of the Water and Electricity Company (Empresa de Água e Electricidade), he later served as Minister of Natural Resources in an MLSTP-led government from 9 August 2003 to 5 March 2004. His party, in a coalition with the Democratic Convergence Party (PCD), won the largest number of seats (23) in

legislative elections A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections ...

held on 26 March 2006. Vera Cruz then became Prime Minister on 21 April 2006. He visited

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

for three days beginning on October 24, 2007 to discuss bilateral cooperation and the strengthening of historic and cultural ties. Vera Cruz announced his resignation on February 7, 2008 and was succeeded by

Patrice Trovoada Patrice Émery Trovoada (born 18 March 1962) is a São Toméan politician who was the 15th prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from November 2022 to 6 January 2025. He previously served as prime minister from February 2008 to June 2008, f ...

on February 14."Investiture du nouveau gouvernement santoméen"
, Panapress (afriquenligne.fr), February 15, 2008 . Between March 2008 and September 2010, he was deputy of the Parliamentary Bench of his party, he was effective member of the 2nd Specialized Parliamentary Committee. He was a candidate for a president in the

2016 elections Africa Benin Republic *2016 Beninese presidential election 6 March 2016 Cape Verde * 2016 Cape Verdean presidential election 2 October 2016 Chad * 2016 Chadian presidential election 10 April 2016 Djibouti * 2016 Djiboutian presidential ...

, he later declined that option.

References

1955 births Living people Force for Change Democratic Movement – Liberal Party politicians Prime ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe Government ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe People from São Tomé 21st-century São Tomé and Príncipe politicians {{SãoToméPríncipe-politician-stub