João Lourenço facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
João Lourenço
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Lourenço in 2023
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| 3rd President of Angola | |
| Assumed office 26 September 2017 |
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| Vice President | Bornito de Sousa Esperança da Costa |
| Preceded by | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| Chairman of the MPLA | |
| Assumed office 8 September 2018 |
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| Preceded by | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| Minister of National Defence | |
| In office 22 April 2014 – 24 July 2017 |
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| President | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| Preceded by | Cândido Pereira dos Santos Van-Dúnem |
| Succeeded by | Salviano de Jesus Sequeira |
| Chairman of Southern African Development Community | |
| In office 17 August 2023 – 17 August 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Felix Tshisekedi |
| Succeeded by | Emmerson Mnangagwa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 March 1954 Lobito, Portuguese Angola |
| Political party | MPLA (since 1974) |
| Spouse | Ana Afonso Dias |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater |
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| Nicknames | Ti Mimoso, JLo |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Angola |
| Branch/service | Angolan Army |
| Years of service | 1974–2017 |
| Rank |  Army general |
| Battles/wars |
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João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (born on March 5, 1954) is an Angolan politician. He is the third president of Angola, serving since September 26, 2017. Before becoming president, he was the Minister of Defence from 2014 to 2017. In September 2018, he also became the leader of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which is the main political party in Angola.
João Lourenço was chosen in December 2016 to lead his party in the August 2017 election. The Angolan constitution says that the leader of the party that wins the most votes becomes president. Since the MPLA won many seats, Lourenço automatically became President of Angola. He took over from José Eduardo dos Santos, who had been president for 38 years. Lourenço officially became president on September 26, 2017.
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Early Life and Family
João Lourenço was born in 1954. He grew up in a large family with ten children. His family was very interested in politics. His father, Sequeira João Lourenço, was a doctor and a nationalist. He was even put in prison for his political activities. His mother, Josefa Gonçalves Cipriano Lourenço, was a seamstress. João Lourenço went to school in Bié Province and Luanda, where he learned Portuguese.
Education and Military Career
Lourenço first studied at the Industrial Institute of Luanda. In August 1974, he joined the fight for Angola's freedom in Ponta Negra. He was among the first group of MPLA soldiers to enter Angola after the end of Portuguese rule.
He started his military journey by fighting against the Portuguese during the Angolan War of Independence. He also fought in the Angolan Civil War as a member of the MPLA. Lourenço trained in artillery and became a political officer. In 1978, he went to the Soviet Union to study at the Lenin Military-Political Academy. There, he continued his military training and earned a master's degree in Historical Sciences. He returned to Angola in 1982 as an artillery general. After his military career, Lourenço became more involved in politics. In 1984, he was made the Governor of Moxico Province.
Political Career
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João Lourenço's early political work was mainly within the MPLA party. He helped keep the spirits of the soldiers high. After becoming Governor of Moxico Province in 1984, he continued to move up in the ruling party. He also served as a leader for the MPLA in Moxico and Benguela provinces. From 1992 to 1997, he was the MPLA's Secretary for Information. He also led the MPLA group in the National Assembly from 1993 to 1998.
In December 1998, he was chosen as the Secretary-General of the MPLA. From 2003 to 2014, Lourenço was the First Vice-president of the National Assembly. In April 2014, he was appointed as the Minister of Defense. He became the vice-president of the MPLA in August 2016. In September 2018, he took over as the Chairman of the MPLA, replacing José Eduardo dos Santos.
In December 2016, the MPLA chose Lourenço as their main candidate for the 2017 election. He was elected president of Angola on August 23, 2017. He officially started his job on September 26, becoming the third president in Angola's history. On September 8, 2018, he was elected president of the MPLA, the party that has ruled Angola since 1975.
In June 2018, President Lourenço made Angola's first LGBT collective legal.
Personal Life
João Lourenço is married to Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço. She is also a Member of Parliament for the MPLA. She used to be the Minister of Planning and worked at the World Bank. They have six children. All of their children are involved with the MPLA party. Besides his native Umbundu language and Portuguese, he can speak Russian, Spanish, and English. People sometimes call him "Ti Mimoso" or "JLo."
Honours and Awards
João Lourenço has received many awards from different countries:
Brazil:
- Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross (2023)
Cape Verde:
- 1st Class of the Amílcar Cabral Order (2022)
Cuba:
- Order of José Martí (2019)
France:
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (2025)
Guinea:
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2021)
Italy:
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2023)
Ivory Coast
- Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast (2024)
Namibia:
- First Class of the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia mirabilis (2018)
Portugal:
- Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (2018)
Senegal:
- Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion (2022)
Serbia
- 2nd class of the Order of the Republic of Serbia (2022)
South Africa:
- Order of South Africa (2024)
Spain:
- Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (2023)
See also
In Spanish: João Lourenço (político) para niños
