Francisco Guterres
Encyclopedia
Francisco Guterres, popularly known as Lu Olo (born October 7, 1955 in Ossu) is the President of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor
(FRETILIN). He was also President of the National Parliament of East Timor
from 2002 to 2007. As the FRETILIN candidate, he ran for the presidency of the country in the 2007 presidential election
, but was defeated in the second round.
Guterres has described himself as “the son of a poor family, of humble people”. He is a Roman Catholic and a former guerrilla fighter. At an Extraordinary Conference of FRETILIN in Sydney, Australia in 1998, Guterres was named General Coordinator of the Council of Armed Resistance. In July 2001, he was elected President of FRETILIN. Guterres was elected to the Constituent Assembly in the August 2001 parliamentary election
, and he was subsequently elected by the Constituent Assembly as its President; when East Timor gained its independence in May 2002, the Constituent Assembly was transformed into the National Parliament, with Guterres as its President.
In the 2007 presidential election, Guterres ran as FRETILIN's candidate and campaigned on a populist platform. However, some members of FRETILIN blamed him for the 2006 East Timorese crisis and instead supported Prime Minister José Ramos-Horta, who was running as an independent candidate. In the first round of the election, held on April 9, Guterres took first place with 27.89% of the vote. He and Ramos-Horta participated in the second round in May, and Guterres lost with 31% of the vote against 69% for Ramos-Horta. He accepted the result and congratulated Ramos-Horta.
Guterres was re-elected to parliament in the June 2007 parliamentary election
as the first name on FRETILIN's candidate list.
Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor
The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor is a leftist political party in East Timor. They presently hold a plurality of seats in the National Parliament and formed the government in East Timor from independence until 2007...
(FRETILIN). He was also President of the National Parliament of East Timor
National Parliament of East Timor
The National Parliament of East Timor is the unicameral national legislature in East Timor. It was created in 2001 as the Constituent Assembly while the country was still under the supervision of the United Nations, but renamed itself to the National Parliament with the attaining of national...
from 2002 to 2007. As the FRETILIN candidate, he ran for the presidency of the country in the 2007 presidential election
East Timorese presidential election, 2007
The 2007 East Timorese presidential election involved two separate votes. The first, on 9 April 2007 eliminated six of the eight nominees. The remaining two candidates, current Prime Minister José Ramos-Horta and Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor President Francisco Guterres, faced...
, but was defeated in the second round.
Guterres has described himself as “the son of a poor family, of humble people”. He is a Roman Catholic and a former guerrilla fighter. At an Extraordinary Conference of FRETILIN in Sydney, Australia in 1998, Guterres was named General Coordinator of the Council of Armed Resistance. In July 2001, he was elected President of FRETILIN. Guterres was elected to the Constituent Assembly in the August 2001 parliamentary election
East Timorese parliamentary election, 2001
Constituent Assembly elections were held in East Timor on 30 August 2001, the second anniversary of the independence referendum. One member was elected from each of the country's thirteen districts, whilst a further 75 were elected by proportional representation. The result was a victory for the...
, and he was subsequently elected by the Constituent Assembly as its President; when East Timor gained its independence in May 2002, the Constituent Assembly was transformed into the National Parliament, with Guterres as its President.
In the 2007 presidential election, Guterres ran as FRETILIN's candidate and campaigned on a populist platform. However, some members of FRETILIN blamed him for the 2006 East Timorese crisis and instead supported Prime Minister José Ramos-Horta, who was running as an independent candidate. In the first round of the election, held on April 9, Guterres took first place with 27.89% of the vote. He and Ramos-Horta participated in the second round in May, and Guterres lost with 31% of the vote against 69% for Ramos-Horta. He accepted the result and congratulated Ramos-Horta.
Guterres was re-elected to parliament in the June 2007 parliamentary election
East Timorese parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in East Timor on 30 June 2007. Although a narrow plurality was achieved by the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor , a coalition involving the next three largest groups formed a government...
as the first name on FRETILIN's candidate list.