Carlos Correia facts for kids

Carlos Correia (born 6 November 1933 – died 14 August 2021) was an important politician from Guinea-Bissau. He served as Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau four different times. His last term was from September 2015 to May 2016. Before that, he was Prime Minister from 1991 to 1994, from 1997 to 1998, and again in 2008.

Early Life and Political Start

Carlos Correia was born in Bissau on November 6, 1933. He studied in East Germany to become an agricultural engineer. During Guinea-Bissau's fight for independence, Correia was part of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). This party later governed the country for many years. In the 1970s, he worked as the Minister of Finance. In the 1980s, he was in charge of agriculture and fishing for the government.

First Terms as Prime Minister

The role of Prime Minister was brought back in Guinea-Bissau in 1991. Carlos Correia became Prime Minister on December 27, 1991. He served under President João Bernardo Vieira. After the country held its first multi-party elections in 1994, another politician, Manuel Saturnino da Costa, took over as Prime Minister.

Correia became Prime Minister again on June 6, 1997. This was after the previous Prime Minister was removed from office. His appointment was first questioned by the country's highest court. However, it was approved a week later. During this time, his work as Prime Minister was seen as good by international groups like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Challenges and Later Years

Correia's second term as Prime Minister ended in December 1998. This period was difficult because of a civil conflict. A military leader, Ansumane Mané, started a rebellion against the government. A peace agreement was signed in November 1998, which helped end the fighting.

After President Vieira was removed from power in 1999, Correia faced some legal issues. He was briefly held and questioned about his support for Vieira. He was also removed from his political party, PAIGC, for a time. Later, he was cleared of some accusations.

In 2005, Correia was considered to run for president for his party. However, Malam Bacai Sanhá was chosen instead.

Return to Leadership

In August 2008, President Vieira asked Correia to become Prime Minister again. His main job was to prepare the country for new elections in November 2008. A new government was formed, with many members from the PAIGC party. After the elections, the PAIGC won most of the seats in parliament. Because of this, Carlos Gomes Junior, the head of the PAIGC, became the new Prime Minister in December 2008.

Seven years later, in 2015, Carlos Correia was appointed Prime Minister for the fourth time. This happened during a disagreement between President José Mário Vaz and the PAIGC party. Correia was sworn in on September 17, 2015. He formed a new government in October. However, President Vaz dismissed him from his position on May 12, 2016. Correia passed away on August 14, 2021, at the age of 87.

See also

In Spanish: Carlos Correia para niños