The president of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova, appointed a new prime minister on Sunday, making Américo Ramos the country’s third head of government within a week, the Portuguese news agency Lusa reports.
Vila Nova selected then-minister of justice, Ilza Amado Vaz, to serve as prime minister after dismissing the government of Patrice Trovoada last Monday. She then abruptly resigned, stating in a letter that her continued leadership “would not contribute to the success of public policies and the harmonious and peaceful development.”
At stake was a leak on social media made by her own party – the ruling Independent Democratic Action party (known by its Portuguese initials ADI). National news agency STP-Press reported that the ADI published a draft list of Amado Vaz’s cabinet on the day she was due to submit it to the president, prompting accusations that the ADI was attempting to interfere with the formation of the new government.
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The ADI then proposed Adelino Pereira, who served as attorney-general between 2003 and 2006, to replace Amado Vaz. However, President Vila Nova reportedly settled on Ramos – a former ADI secretary-general who served as finance minister twice under Trovoada.
The move could exacerbate political tensions in the island nation, since Ramos was not endorsed for the prime ministerial role by the ADI.
The party has meanwhile expressed “its deepest repudiation of any attempt at improper interference in the formation of the new government,” and says it is appealing to the Constitutional Court to overturn Trovoada’s dismissal.
