Aristides Gomes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Aristides Gomes (born 8 November 1954) is the current Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He was appointed to that position on 2 November 2005.

Born in 1954, Gomes attended the University of Paris VIII, where he received a degree in sociology and political science.

A former director-general at Televisão Experimental da Guiné-Bissau (1990-1992), Gomes had served as the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in a previous government of President João Bernardo Vieira.

He was a long-time member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), most recently holding the position of first vice-president. In May 2005, however, Gomes was suspended for openly supporting Vieira's presidential bid against the PAIGC's Malam Bacai Sanhá in elections that took place in June and July 2005. Soon after Vieira took office, he defected from the party.