Celestino Rocha da Costa
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Celestino Rocha da Costa
|image =
|office = 2nd Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe
|president = Manuel Pinto da Costa
|term_start = 8 January 1988
|term_end = 7 February 1991
|predecessor = Miguel Trovoada (1979)
|successor2 = Daniel Daio
|birth_date = 25 September 1938
|birth_place = Overseas Province of São Tomé and Príncipe, Portugal
|death_date = 23 December 2010 (aged 72)
|death_place = Lisbon, Portugal
|party = Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe
|spouse =
|alma_mater =
}}
Celestino Rocha da Costa (25 September 1938 – 23 December 2010)[http://www.telanon.info/sociedade/2010/12/24/5935/morreu-o-ex-primeiro-ministro-celestino-rocha-da-costa/ Morreu o ex-primeiro ministro Celestino Rocha da Costa] {{in lang|pt}} was a prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.{{cite news|title=Sao Tome Accuses Ex-premier of Embezzling Millions of Dollars|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n35TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E4YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5698,6111449&dq=celestino+rocha+da+costa&hl=en|access-date=7 November 2010|newspaper=Daily News|date=28 August 1991}} He held the post from 8 January 1988 to 7 February 1991.{{cite book|title=Elections in Africa: a data handbook|year=1999|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-829645-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9v1MnKYHSLoC&dq=Celestino+Rocha+da+Costa&pg=PA751|author=Dieter Nohlen|author2=Michael Krennerich|author3=Bernhard Thibaut|access-date=7 November 2010|page=751}}{{cite book|title=African states and rulers|year=2006|publisher=McFarland & Co.|isbn=978-0-7864-2562-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I7UUAQAAIAAJ&q=%22rocha+da+costa%22|author=John Stewart|access-date=7 November 2010|page=196}} He was the last head of a single party Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP) government.{{Cite book|last1=Lloyd-Jones|first1=Stewart|title=The Last Empire: Thirty Years of Portuguese Decolonization|last2=António|first2=Costa Pinto|publisher=Intellect Ltd.|year=2004|isbn=1841501093|location=UK}}
Biography
He became member of the Movement of the Liberation of São Tomé (MLSTP) after independence in 1976. He first worked as the Minister of Justice from 1978 to 1983, and again from 1986 to 1988.{{cite web |title=O Ministério da Justiça |url=https://justicastp.gov.st/evolucao.php |website=justicastp.gov.st}}. He was temporarily Minister of National Defence from December 1981 to January 1982.{{cite book |last1=Seibert |first1=Gerhard |title=Comrades, clients and cousins: colonialism, socialism and democratization in Sao Tome and Principe |date=2006 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=9004147365 |edition=2nd, completely revised and updated}} From the beginning of 1986, he was Minister of Education, Labour and Social Affairs.
In January 1988, a constitutional amendment retained the post of a Prime Minister, on 8 January, he became Prime Minister up to 7 February 1991. His government included those that were in exile and later Carlos da Graça as Foreign Minister. In February and March 1988, his army cracked down coup attempts in Gabon.
After the introduction of democracy in 1990, in fall 1990, his party became the MLSTP-PSD, he ran for the 1991 legislative elections on 20 January and his party won second place with 30.5% of the votes with 21 out of 55 seats and went into opposition. His post as Prime Minister was succeeded by Daniel Lima dos Santos Daio.
He died in Lisbon, Portugal in 2010, aged 72.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|title=Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe|before=Post Abolished|after=Daniel Lima dos Santos Daio|years=1988–1991}}
{{S-end}}
{{STPPMs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Costa, Celestino Rocha Da}}
Category:Defence ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe
Category:Justice ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe
Category:Prime ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe
Category:Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party politicians
Category:20th-century São Tomé and Príncipe politicians
{{SaoTomePrincipe-politician-stub}}