Joaquim Rafael Branco

Infobox Prime Minister

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imagesize = 150px
name = Joaquim Rafael Branco
order = Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe
president = Fradique de Menezes
deputy =
term_start = 22 June 2008
term_end =
predecessor = Patrice Trovoada
successor =
birth_date = 1953
birth_place =
party = MLSTP-PSD

Joaquim Rafael Branco (born 1953) is a São Toméan politician. He is the President of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD). [http://www.panapress.com/freenewspor.asp?code=por014832&dte=12/06/2008 "Líder da oposição em São Tomé Príncipe designado primeiro-ministro"] , Panapress, June 12, 2008 pt icon.]

Branco served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2001. He was Minister of Public Works in July 2003, when he was detained by the military during a briefly successful coup d'etat led by Major Fernando Pereira.

After Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada was defeated in a May 2007 vote of no confidence proposed by the MLSTP/PSD, which was then in opposition, President Fradique de Menezes asked the MLSTP/PSD to form a government in June 2008, and it chose Branco to become the next Prime Minister. Trovoada's Independent Democratic Action (ADI) party denounced Menezes' designation of the MLSTP/PSD to form a government as unconstitutional. [ [http://www.panapress.com/freenewspor.asp?code=por014944&dte=16/06/2008 "Partido de PM destituído contra nomeação de novo Governo são-tomense"] , Panapress, June 16, 2008 pt icon.]

References