João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, a reservist general, became the 3rd President of the Repúblic of Angola, at the age of 63, following the general election of 23 August.
After António Agostinho Neto, who proclaimed the National Independence, on 11 November 1975, followed by José Eduardo dos Santos, who led the country since September 1979, the presidency of João Lourenço sets the beginning of a new era.
João Lourenço was the head of the MPLA electoral list, that got 61,08 votes, electing 150 MPs of the National Assembly’s 220.
Born on 5 March 1954, in Lobito, Benguela province, João Lourenço was, until his election, Defence minister of Angola, following his appointment in April 2014.
He is the son of Sequeira João Lourenço, a nurse, born in Malanje province and of Josefa Gonçalves Cipriano Lourenço, a dressmaker, from Namibe, both late.
He did his primary and secondary studies in Bié province, where his father was under house arrest for 10 years, after serving a three-year jail term in the São Paulo prison, over a clandestine political activity while serving as a Lobito Port nurse.
He furthered his studies in Luanda, at the then Instituto Industrial de Luanda. Following the fall of the fascist regime in Portugal, along with other young men, he joined the national liberation struggle in Point Noire (Congo), in August 1974, at CIR (Revolutionary Training Centre) Kalunga.
João Lourenço was in the first group of freedom fighters who entered the national territory through Miconge-Belize-Buco Zau-Dinge-Cabinda.
On the eve of the National Independence, he participated in fights at the N’toto/Yema border against the FNLA/Zairean army coalition that was defeated and from the Tchizo hill, in Cabinda, against FNLA units, on the banks of river Lucola, near the town.
He has a background in heavy artillery and served as Political Commissioner in platoons, companies, battalions, brigades and in the 2nd Politico-Military Region, Cabinda, from 1977 to 1978.
Sent to the then Union of the Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR), where, from 1978 to 1982, in addition to further military training, he obtained a Master’s Degree in History Sciences.
From 1982 to 1983, he participated in military operations in the provinces of Cuanza Sul, Huambo and Bié. From 1983 to 1986, he served as a provincial commissioner (currently governor) in Moxico and Chief of the Regional Military Council in the 3rd Politico-Military Region, that covered the provinces of Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul.
From 1986 to 1989, he was the 1st secretary of the MPLA and Benguela Provincial Commissioner. From 1989 to 1990, he served as the Head of the National Political Department of the FAPLA (MPLA’s former military wing).
From 1991 to 1998 he served as the secretary of the Political Bureau for Information, secretary of the Political Bureau for Economic Affairs, for a short period, and Head of the Parliament Bench.
From 1998 to 2003, João Lourenço served as MPLA secretary general and Constitutional Commission Chair. From 2003 to April 2014, he served as 1st Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. He is a member of the Party Central Committee’s Politburo and a three-star reservist general. He is married with Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço and father of six.
He practised football and karate (shotokan style), and has as hobbies reading, chess and horse riding. Besides Portuguese, he speaks English, Russian and Spanish.
