DILI, 11 september 2023 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, José Ramos-Horta, appointed the new members of the State Council and the new members of the Superior Council of Defense and Security (KSDS) at the Presidential Palace.
The State Council is an advisory body to the President of the Republic on political matters, based on Articles 90 and 91 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL). The Superior Council of Defense and Security is an advisory body to the President of the Republic on defense, security, and sovereignty matters, based on Article 148 of the RDTL Constitution.
The fourteen new members of the State Council are: President of the National Parliament, Maria Fernanda Lay; Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão; Former President of the Republic, Major-General Taur Matan Ruak; Former President of the Republic, Dr. Francisco Guterres Lú Olo.
Five members appointed by the President of the Republic are Abilio da Conceição de Araujo, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves <Mikato>, Lieutenant General, Tito da Costa Cristovão “Lere Anan Timur”; Sister Guilhermina Marçal and Milena Pires. The other five members appointed by the National Parliament are Virgilio Smith “Cranek”, Jacinto Viegas Vicente “Roke”, Numinando S. Martins “Buras”, Ricardo da Costa Ribeiro, and Josefa Alves Pereira Soares.
The thirteen new members of the Superior Council of Defense and Security are Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas; Minister of Defense, Rear Admiral Donaciano do Rosário Gomes; Minister of the Interior, Francisco da Costa Guterres; Minister of Justice, Amândio de Sá Benevides; Representative of National Parliement, Member of Parliement, Maria Terezinha da Silva Viegas; Member of Parliament, David Mandati Dias Ximenes; Member of Parliament, Duarte Nunes; Chief of General Staff of the F-FDTL Tenente-General, Falur Rate Laek; Commander-General of the PNTL, General Commissioner Henrique da Costa; Director-General of the National Intelligence Service, Longuinhos Monteiro; Júlio Tomás Pinto and Nuno Manuel Corvelo de Andrade Sarmento (Nominated by the President of the Republic).
The meetings of the State Council and the Superior Council of Defense and Security will be chaired by the President of the Republic. After appointing the new members, the President of the Republic immediately led the first meeting with the members of the two councils to discuss the members’ functions based on the law and regulations.
The fourteen new members of the State Council and the thirteen members of the Superior Council of Defense and Security will carry out their mandates for five years.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
