African island leader released

Reuter, Washington Post 20 August 1995

LISBON—Portugal has welcomed the release of Miguel Trovoada, the ousted president of Sao Tome and Principe, by military coup leaders in the African twin-island state.

Army officers seized control Tuesday of Sao Tome and Principe, a former Portuguese colony 125 miles off the coast of Gabon, and arrested the democratically elected Trovoada.

The coup leaders released Trovoada from a military barracks late Friday, allowing him to join his family in a government residence, after meeting Angolan mediators led by Foreign Minister Venancio de Moura.

We are very happy with the outcome of today's efforts by the Angolan mediation, Portuguese Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso told reporters late Friday.

Trovoada, elected in 1991, was expected to say this weekend whether he wished to continue in the presidency. Negotiations were scheduled to continue among the Angolan mediators, the coup leaders led by Lt. Manuel Quintas de Almeida and Trovoada to resolve the crisis, Portuguese TSF radio reported.