Memorandum on S. Tomé e Principe

A briefing by the Institute for Security Studies detailing the military coup in São Tomé e Principe on July 16, 2003, led by Major Fernando Pereira. The document outlines the immediate aftermath, the formation of a 'Military Junta for National Salvation', international reactions, and the internal political and military grievances that motivated the takeover.

• On July 16, 2003, Major Fernando Pereira (known as 'Cobo'), the Commanding Officer of the Army Training College, led a military coup that overthrew the Government of São Tomé e Principe. The military seized control of the central bank, airport, and media outlets, arresting Prime-Minister Maria das Neves and other high-ranking officials.
• The coup leaders established a 'Military Junta for National Salvation' to govern the country until early elections are held. Their interim plan included the creation of a 'State Council' to prepare for elections and the implementation of a curfew from 19:00 to 06:00 to prevent looting and disturbances.
• The coup was motivated in part by the 'atrocious' state of the 900-strong armed forces, characterized by a total lack of rations and equipment, and soldiers going without pay for months. There were also broader pressures stemming from severe poverty and high expectations regarding future oil windfalls.
• The Christian Democratic Front (FDC), a small party with no parliamentary representation and historically low electoral support (never exceeding 1.7%), was involved in the coup. Some FDC leaders, including Albino Santos and Sabino dos Santos, were previously trained by the South African Defence Force (SADF) as members of 32 Battalion.
• International responses were overwhelmingly negative, with the African Union, United Nations, United States, Portugal, and France condemning the coup as an unconstitutional change of government. President Fradique de Menezes, who was in Nigeria during the coup, requested military assistance from Angola and Nigeria.
• Angola placed its Special Forces based in Cabo Ledo on standby to intervene in São Tomé e Principe if called upon, coordinating with Nigeria and Mozambique. Angola's interest is linked to its role as STP's main continental link and its involvement in STP's oil contract renegotiations via the state oil company Sonangol.
• The coup is expected to delay the oil exploration process, specifically the bidding for nine blocks scheduled for October, which had an estimated price tag exceeding US$ 100 million. It may also hinder the formation of the Joint Development Zone (JDZ).

APA

Smith, J. (2003). Memorandum on S. Tomé e Principe. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAOTOMEJUL03.PDF

Chicago

Smith, Johann. Memorandum on S. Tomé e Principe. Institute for Security Studies, 2003. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAOTOMEJUL03.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Smith |first1=Johann |title=Memorandum on S. Tomé e Principe |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=17 July 2003 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAOTOMEJUL03.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{smith2003memorandum, author = {Smith, Johann}, title = {{Memorandum on S. Tomé e Principe}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2003}, month = jul, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAOTOMEJUL03.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }