Francisco Benante
Encyclopedia
Francisco Benante is a politician in Guinea-Bissau
and a member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
(PAIGC). He was President of PAIGC from 1999 to 2002 and President of the National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau
from 2004 to 2008.
Benante is a lawyer by profession. In the government of national unity formed in the midst of the Guinea-Bissau Civil War
, Benante was chosen as Minister of Defense by the junta in January 1999. He was the only civilian member of the junta. Following the ouster of President Nino Vieira (who was also President of PAIGC) in May 1999, Benante, as the leader of reformists within PAIGC, was elected as the President of PAIGC on 9 September 1999, at the end of a party congress. Benante's candidacy was supported by the junta, and he received 174 votes against 133 votes for the only opposing candidate.
Following an alleged coup attempt against President Kumba Yala on 2 December 2001, Benante said that soldiers searched his home for no reason on 3 December. The opposition questioned the existence of this coup attempt, and Benante demanded that concrete evidence be presented. Carlos Gomes Júnior
was elected to replace Benante as PAIGC President at a party congress in January–February 2002.
In the March 2004 parliamentary election, Benante was elected to the National People's Assembly. He was then a candidate for the post of President of the National People's Assembly and was endorsed in a vote held by the PAIGC Central Committee in April 2004; he received 106 votes against 71 votes for PAIGC First Vice-President Aristides Gomes
and 63 for PAIGC campaign director Soares Sambu
.
Prior to the November 2008 parliamentary election, Benante urged President Vieira not to dissolve the National People's Assembly or appoint a new government in a discussion on 4 August 2008, citing the proximity of the election. In the election, Benante was re-elected to the National People's Assembly as a PAIGC candidate in the 21st constituency, Cacheu e Sao Domingos. Following the election, at a meeting of the PAIGC Central Committee on 6 December 2008, PAIGC Second Vice-President Raimundo Pereira
was elected as the party's candidate for the post of President of the National People's Assembly, defeating Benante and Hélder Proença
. Benante criticized the outcome, arguing that the voting method used by the Central Committee was illegal. Pereira was officially elected as President of the National People's Assembly when the newly elected deputies met later in the month, succeeding Benante.
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
and a member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde or PAIGC is a political party that governed Guinea-Bissau from the independence of the then Portuguese Guinea in 1974, until the late 1990s, and from 2004 to 2005. Currently it is the party with the largest number of seats in the...
(PAIGC). He was President of PAIGC from 1999 to 2002 and President of the National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau
National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau
The unicameral National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau is the country's legislative body.The current National People's Assembly, formed following elections held on 28 March 2004, has a total of 102 seats. 100 members are elected through a system of party-list proportional representation...
from 2004 to 2008.
Benante is a lawyer by profession. In the government of national unity formed in the midst of the Guinea-Bissau Civil War
Guinea-Bissau Civil War
The Guinea-Bissau Civil War was triggered by an attempted coup d'état against the government of President João Bernardo Vieira led by Brigadier-General Ansumane Mané in June 1998...
, Benante was chosen as Minister of Defense by the junta in January 1999. He was the only civilian member of the junta. Following the ouster of President Nino Vieira (who was also President of PAIGC) in May 1999, Benante, as the leader of reformists within PAIGC, was elected as the President of PAIGC on 9 September 1999, at the end of a party congress. Benante's candidacy was supported by the junta, and he received 174 votes against 133 votes for the only opposing candidate.
Following an alleged coup attempt against President Kumba Yala on 2 December 2001, Benante said that soldiers searched his home for no reason on 3 December. The opposition questioned the existence of this coup attempt, and Benante demanded that concrete evidence be presented. Carlos Gomes Júnior
Carlos Gomes Júnior
Carlos Domingos Gomes Júnior is the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He was previously Prime Minister from 10 May 2004 to 2 November 2005, and he was again appointed to that post on 25 December 2008...
was elected to replace Benante as PAIGC President at a party congress in January–February 2002.
In the March 2004 parliamentary election, Benante was elected to the National People's Assembly. He was then a candidate for the post of President of the National People's Assembly and was endorsed in a vote held by the PAIGC Central Committee in April 2004; he received 106 votes against 71 votes for PAIGC First Vice-President Aristides Gomes
Aristides Gomes
Aristides Gomes is the President of the Republican Party of Independence for Development in Guinea-Bissau. He was the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau from 2 November 2005 until 13 April 2007....
and 63 for PAIGC campaign director Soares Sambu
Soares Sambu
Soares Sambú is a politician in Guinea-Bissau. He was Minister of External Affairs from May 2004 to November 2005 and has been Minister of Natural Resources since April 2007....
.
Prior to the November 2008 parliamentary election, Benante urged President Vieira not to dissolve the National People's Assembly or appoint a new government in a discussion on 4 August 2008, citing the proximity of the election. In the election, Benante was re-elected to the National People's Assembly as a PAIGC candidate in the 21st constituency, Cacheu e Sao Domingos. Following the election, at a meeting of the PAIGC Central Committee on 6 December 2008, PAIGC Second Vice-President Raimundo Pereira
Raimundo Pereira
Raimundo Pereira is a Guinea-Bissauan politician and lawyer who has been the President of the National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau since December 2008. A member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde , he served as President of Guinea-Bissau in an interim capacity...
was elected as the party's candidate for the post of President of the National People's Assembly, defeating Benante and Hélder Proença
Helder Proença
Helder Proença was a Guinea-Bissauan politician who served as the country's former Minister of Defense during the administration of former President João Bernardo Vieira...
. Benante criticized the outcome, arguing that the voting method used by the Central Committee was illegal. Pereira was officially elected as President of the National People's Assembly when the newly elected deputies met later in the month, succeeding Benante.