Francisco Xavier do Amaral

Francisco Xavier do Amaral
transitional President of East Timor
In office November 28, 1975 – December 7, 1975
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Nicolau dos Reis Lobato
Personal details
Born	1937 Portuguese Timor
Nationality	East Timorese
Political party	Timorese Social Democratic Association
Spouse(s)	N/A

Francisco Xavier do Amaral (born 1937 in Turiscai) is an East Timorese politician. A founder of the Frente Revolucionaria de Timor Leste Independente (Fretilin), he was sworn in as President when the country, then a Portuguese colony, made a unilateral declaration of independence on November 28, 1975. He has been a member of the National Parliament of East Timor for the Timorese Social Democratic Association since 2001.

Following the Indonesian invasion of the country on December 7, he fled into the mountains. He was ousted from Fretilin in 1977 amid disagreements over strategy for opposing the Indonesian occupation. A Fretilin faction took him prisoner, moving him frequently as they battled the Indonesian military forces. He was abandoned in August 1978 when his Fretilin captors were ambushed, and was promptly arrested by Indonesian forces. He was placed under effective house arrest first in Bali, then after 1983 in Jakarta, until Indonesia withdrew from East Timor in 1999.

In April 2002, Amaral ran against Xanana Gusmão in the presidential elections, but was soundly defeated. During the campaign he said that he fully expected to lose to Gusmão, but believed that running was symbolically important, demonstrating the strength of East Timor's democracy by ensuring that Gusmão had competition in the race.

Amaral ran again for president in the April 2007 presidential election, taking fourth place with 14.39% of the vote.

References

• BBC News (2002). "Profile: Francisco Xavier do Amaral" May 15.

Preceded by Mário Lemos Pires as Governor of Portuguese Timor

Presidents of East Timor 1975

Succeeded by Nicolau dos Reis Lobato (nominal)