Maria das Neves

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}}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#if:||{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}}}} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox officeholder with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| regexp1 = 1blankname[%d]* | regexp2 = 1namedata[%d]* | regexp3 = 2blankname[%d]* | regexp4 = 2namedata[%d]* | regexp5 = 3blankname[%d]* | regexp6 = 3namedata[%d]* | regexp7 = 4blankname[%d]* | regexp8 = 4namedata[%d]* | regexp9 = 5blankname[%d]* | regexp10 = 5namedata[%d]* | allegiance | alma_mater | regexp11 = alongside[%d]* | alt | regexp12 = ambassador_from[%d]* | regexp13 = appointed[%d]* | regexp14 = appointer[%d]* | regexp15 = assembly[%d]* | awards | battles | battles_label | birth_date | birth_name | birth_place | birthname | regexp16 = blank[%d]* | bodyclass | branch | branch_label | cabinet | candidate | caption | categories | regexp17 = chancellor[%d]* | children | citizenship | regexp18 = co%-leader[%d]* | commands | committees | regexp19 = constituency[%d]* | regexp20 = constituency_AM[%d]* | regexp21 = constituency_MP[%d]* | regexp22 = convocation[%d]* | regexp23 = country[%d]* | regexp24 = data[%d]* | date | death_cause | death_date | death_manner | death_place | demo | regexp25 = deputy[%d]* | regexp26 = district[%d]* | education | election_date | embed | father | regexp28 = firstminister[%d]* | footnotes | regexp29 = governor[%d]* | regexp30 = governor_general[%d]* | regexp31 = governor%-general[%d]* | height | honorific_prefix | honorific-prefix | honorific_suffix | honorific-suffix | image | image name | image_name_alt | image_size | imagesize | image_upright | incumbent | regexp32 = jr/sr[%d]* | regexp33 = jr/sr and state[%d]* | known_for | regexp34 = leader[%d]* | regexp35 = legislature[%d]* | regexp36 = lieutenant[%d]* | regexp37 = lieutenant_governor[%d]* | mainwidth | regexp38 = majority[%d]* | regexp39 = majority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp40 = majority_leader[%d]* | regexp41 = majorityleader[%d]* | mawards | regexp42 = military_blank[%d]* | regexp43 = military_data[%d]* | regexp44 = minister[%d]* | regexp45 = minister_from[%d]* | regexp46 = minority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp47 = minority_leader[%d]* | regexp48 = minorityleader[%d]* | regexp49 = module[%d]* | regexp50 = monarch[%d]* | mother | name | nationality | native_name | native_name_lang | nickname | nocat | regexp51 = nominator[%d]* | nominee | occupation | regexp52 = office[%d]* | opponent | regexp53 = order[%d]* | otherparty | parents | regexp54 = parliament[%d]* | regexp55 = parliamentarygroup[%d]* | partner | party | party_election | portfolio | regexp56 = preceded[%d]* | regexp57 = preceding[%d]* | regexp58 = predecessor[%d]* | regexp59 = premier[%d]* | regexp60 = president[%d]* | regexp61 = primeminister[%d]* | regexp62 = prior_term[%d]* | profession | pronunciation | rank | rank_label | relations | relatives | residence | resting_place | resting_place_coordinates | restingplace | restingplacecoordinates | regexp63 = riding[%d]* | runningmate | salary | serviceyears | serviceyears_label | signature | signature_alt | signature_size | smallimage | smallimage_alt | source | speaker | speaker_office | spouse | spouses | regexp64 = state[%d]* | regexp65 = state_assembly[%d]* | regexp66 = state_delegate[%d]* | regexp67 = state_house[%d]* | regexp68 = state_legislature[%d]* | regexp69 = state_senate[%d]* | regexp70 = status[%d]* | regexp71 = suboffice[%d]* | regexp72 = subterm[%d]* | regexp73 = succeeded[%d]* | regexp74 = succeeding[%d]* | regexp75 = successor[%d]* | regexp76 = taoiseach[%d]* | regexp77 = term[%d]* | regexp78 = term_end[%d]* | regexp79 = term_label[%d]* | regexp80 = term_start[%d]* | regexp81 = termend[%d]* | regexp82 = termlabel[%d]* | regexp83 = termstart[%d]* | regexp84 = title[%d]* | unit | unit_label | regexp85 = vicegovernor[%d]* | regexp86 = vicepremier[%d]* | regexp87 = vicepresident[%d]* | regexp88 = viceprimeminister[%d]* | regexp89 = assuming[%d]* | website | width | year }} Maria das Neves Ceita Baptista de Sousa (born 11 July 1958) is a São Toméan politician and economist who served as prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 2002 to 2004. Appointed as a member of MLSTP–PSD, she was the first woman to serve as head of government for São Tomé and Príncipe. Das Neves was prime minister during the attempted coup of 2003 and was arrested by those orchestrating the coup. She resigned after it ended but was convinced to stay by President Fradique de Menezes. De Menezes dissolved das Neves's government in September 2004 following allegations of corruption. She continued serving in the National Assembly, and she was an unsuccessful candidate for president in 2011, 2016, and 2021. She was appointed rector of the Lusíada University of São Tomé and Príncipe in 2024.

Early life and careerEdit

Maria das Neves Ceita Baptista de Sousa was born on 11 July 1958 in São Tomé.<ref name="Seibert 2011">Template:Cite book</ref> She studied finance and credit at the University of Santiago de Cuba from 1980 to 1987.<ref name="Seibert 2019">Template:Cite book</ref> She worked at the Ministry of Finance in São Tomé and Príncipe,<ref name="Skard 2014">Template:Cite book</ref> where she led the Statistic BureauTemplate:Sfn and was involved with the African Development Bank.<ref name="Johri 2010">Template:Cite book</ref> In July 1993, she was appointed as a member of the Office for the Establishment and Development of the Free-Trade Zone.Template:Sfn She also worked at the World Bank and at UNICEF.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> Das Neves married Carlos Quaresma and they had two daughters.<ref name="Seibert 2011" />

Das Neves became Minister of Economics under Prime Minister Guilherme Posser da Costa in 1999, taking the position that was once held by her husband. Her husband was the subject of a scandal the same year when he was removed as governor of the Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe following allegations that he attempted to defraud a bank in Brussels, and an international warrant was issued for his arrest.<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> In 2001, das Neves's position changed to Minister of Finance.<ref name="Skard 2014" />

Das Neves was elected as a deputy of MLSTP-PSD in the National Assembly during the 2002 parliamentary election. She took the position in March, and the following month she was made Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism under Prime Minister Gabriel Costa.<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> No party had obtained a majority of the legislature, and Costa's coalition was fragile.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> It was dissolved in September 2002,<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> and the three major parties chose das Neves as a compromise candidate to succeed him as Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.<ref name="Jalalzai 2013">Template:Cite book</ref>

Prime Minister of São Tomé and PríncipeEdit

Das Neves became prime minister on 3 October 2002 and was the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.<ref name="Johri 2010" /><ref name="Seibert 2011" /> She retained most of Costa's ministers.Template:Sfn She also included several women in her cabinet, making up four of the eleven members.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> She appointed her husband, the former governor of the Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe, as an economic advisor in December 2002.<ref name="Seibert 2011" />Template:Sfn

Das Neves considered the country's external debt to be the most important political issue to address during her premiership.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> She worked to develop industry in São Tomé and Príncipe with an emphasis on oil.<ref name="Jalalzai 2013" /> She was concerned about making the economy too dependent on oil but did not have enough support from the president or the legislature to enact policy to diversify the economy.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> Das Neves also focused on developing a tourism industry for the country.<ref name="Jalalzai 2013" /> President Menezes dissolved parliament on 21 January 2003 after a dispute over constitutional reform, and das Neves worked with Supreme Court President Alice Vera Cruz to convince him not to hold early elections.Template:Sfn

An attempted coup took place on 16 July 2003, and she was arrested while asleep in her home.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She had ended assistance for the leaders of the Christian Democratic Front in June 2003, and they helped organise the coup.Template:Sfn The leaders of the coup threatened to deport her husband, who was still subject to an international arrest warrant.Template:Sfn She had a heart attack during the coup and was taken to the hospital.<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> An agreement led to the end of the coup a week later.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> Das Neves resigned as prime minister after the coup on 1 August 2003, but President Fradique de Menezes convinced her to stay.<ref name="Johri 2010" /> She was appointed as prime minister again on 9 August.<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> She formed a new government including MLSTP–PSD, MDFM, and Independent Democratic Action.Template:Sfn

Das Neves ordered the dismissal of Minister of Natural Resources Tomé Vera Cruz and Foreign Minister Mateus Meira Rita in March 2004, when it became known that each had pursued agreements with Energem Petroleum and the government of Angola, respectively, without her approval. Both were members of MDFM, which defected from her government and joined the opposition. This caused conflict between das Neves and President de Menezes.Template:Sfn Das Neves was dismissed by de Menezes in September 2004 after she was implicated in a corruption scandal.Template:Efn She was one of several political figures accused of accepting payments from the food agency Gabinete de Gestão de Ajudas.<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> She alleged that she had been dismissed because of her rejection of the Natural Resource Ministry's agreement with Energem Petroleum.Template:Sfn She said that the allegations were a plot against her and that de Menezes was corrupt.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> Das Neves was succeeded as prime minister by Damião Vaz d'Almeida.Template:Sfn

Post-premiershipEdit

Das Neves was summoned as a witness alongside other former government officials on 25 October. The National Assembly revoked her parliamentary immunity in 2005, and she was charged with embezzlement of public funds in May of that year.Template:Sfn Her husband's fraud sentence in Brussels was commuted to probation in 2006.<ref name="Seibert 2011" /> Das Neves was reelected to the National Assembly in the 2006 parliamentary election. She became chair for the Committee on Human Rights and Gender Issues, where she successfully pushed for criminalisation of battery against a woman.<ref name="Skard 2014" /> The embezzlement charge against das Neves was paused in April 2007 for lack of evidence, and an appeal by the prosecutor to reopen it was rejected in January 2008. She became the first the first president of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries in April 2009.<ref name="Seibert 2011" />

Das Neves ran in the 2011 presidential election as an independent and placed fourth with 15 percent of the vote. She ran as a member of MLSTP–PSD in the 2016 presidential election and placed third with 24 percent.<ref name="Seibert 2019" /> She ran as an independent again in the 2021 presidential election and placed fifth with 3 percent.<ref>Template:Cite World Factbook</ref> Das Neves was appointed rector of the Lusíada University of São Tomé and Príncipe in 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NotesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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Works citedEdit

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