Francisco Guterres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francisco Guterres
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 6th President of East Timor | |
| In office 20 May 2017 – 20 May 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Taur Matan Ruak |
| Succeeded by | José Ramos-Horta |
| 1st President of the National Parliament | |
| In office 20 May 2002 – 31 July 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Fernando de Araújo |
| President of the Constituent Assembly | |
| In office 15 September 2001 – 20 May 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Himself as (President of the National Parliament) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 September 1954 Ossu, Portuguese Timor |
| Died | 21 June 2026 (aged 71) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Political party | Fretilin |
| Spouse | Cidália Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres |
| Signature |  |
Francisco Guterres (born on September 7, 1954, and passed away on June 21, 2026), often called Lú-Olo, was an important politician from East Timor. He served as the 6th President of East Timor from 2017 to 2022. Before becoming president, he was also the first president of East Timor's National Parliament from 2002 to 2007. He was a member of the Fretilin political party.
Lú-Olo ran for president several times. He was the Fretilin candidate in the 2007 and 2012 presidential elections. In both elections, he reached the second round but was not elected. In 2017, he tried again. With support from former prime minister Xanana Gusmão and another party called CNRT, he won and became the 6th President of East Timor. He tried to be re-elected in 2022 but was defeated by Ramos-Horta. He was known as a politician who believed in ideas that help many people and aim for fairness.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Francisco Guterres was born in a place called Ossu in 1954. He grew up in a family that faced many challenges. He was a Roman Catholic. In his younger years, he was involved in fighting for his country's freedom.
Journey in Politics
In 1998, at a special meeting in Sydney, Australia, Guterres was chosen to lead a group called the Council of Armed Resistance. This group was important for East Timor's fight for independence. In July 2001, he became the leader of the Fretilin political party.
Later in August 2001, Guterres was elected to a group called the Constituent Assembly. This assembly was tasked with creating East Timor's new laws. He was then chosen by this assembly to be its president. When East Timor became an independent country in May 2002, the Constituent Assembly changed its name to the National Parliament, and Guterres continued to be its president.
Presidential Elections and Leadership
Guterres first ran for president in the 2007 presidential election as the Fretilin party's candidate. He promised to help ordinary people. However, during a difficult time in 2006, some members of his party supported another candidate, José Ramos-Horta. In the first round of the election, Guterres received the most votes. He then competed against Ramos-Horta in the second round but lost. He accepted the results and congratulated Ramos-Horta.
In June 2007, Guterres was re-elected to parliament in the 2007 parliamentary election.
His second attempt to become president was in the 2012 presidential election as Fretilin's candidate. He won the most votes in the first round but was defeated in the second round by Taur Matan Ruak.
His third attempt to become president was in the 2017 presidential election. This time, he had strong support from former prime minister Xanana Gusmão and his party, CNRT. He won more than half of the votes in the first round. On May 20, 2017, Francisco Guterres became the first president of East Timor who was elected while representing a specific political party.
During his presidency, he faced the global challenge of the Coronavirus Pandemic. He led a vaccination campaign in the summer of 2021 and introduced rules like mask mandates to protect people. Many praised his efforts, as the number of COVID cases in East Timor significantly decreased after these actions.
Guterres sought re-election in 2022 for a second term. However, he was defeated by Ramos-Horta in the second round. On May 20, 2022, Ramos-Horta became president in a peaceful change of leadership, marking East Timor's 20th independence anniversary.
His Passing
Francisco Guterres passed away on June 21, 2026. He was 71 years old. He died at the Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Guterres para niños
