Carlos Graça

Who was Carlos Graça?

Carlos Alberto Monteiro Dias da Graça was a prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.

He was one of the co-founders of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe. After the 25th April 1974 revolution in Portugal he was a member of the transition government preparing the independence of São Tomé and Príncipe. After the independence in 1975 he became Minister of Social Affairs. He was the first founder of the MLSTP raising his opposition to the move of the regime towards a dictatorial Marxist-Leninist regime. For this reason he was sentenced 24 years jail and had to exile again in 1977, becoming one of the main opponents to Manuel Pinto da Costa regime. He was asked by Pinto da Costa to come back to Sao Tome in 1987,in order to prepare the transition to a multi-party democracy.He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1988 to 1990, while being one of the main politicians preparing the new democratic constitution and the first free elections. After the first free elections he became leader of the MLSTP which he turned into MLSTP/PSD Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Partido Social Democrata.