Maria das Neves
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Maria das Neves Ceita Baptista de Sousa (born 1958) is a former prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe. She held the post of Prime Minister from October 3 2002 until September 18 2004, and was the nation's first female prime minister. She is also a member of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe-Social Democratic Party (MLSTP-PSD).
Before becoming head of government, Maria das Neves worked as a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance and in the African Development Bank. She held major government posts as Minister of Economics (1999-2001) and of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (2002).
President Fradique de Menezes appointed das Neves prime minister after the previous three-party Government of National Unity led by Gabriel Costa collapsed following complaints from the army over recent promotions.
On 16 July 2003, she was detained and briefly hospitalized after suffering a mild heart attack during a short-lived coup d’état. Other key government officials were also detained. The democratically elected government was restored a week later.
Maria das Neves resigned as prime minister on 1 August 2003, but three days later President Menezes reaffirmed his confidence in her. She retained her post when a new cabinet was sworn in on 9 August 2003.
President Menezes dismissed her from the post on 15 September 2004 and asked her party to choose a new Prime Minister, after allegations of corruption were brought against her and members of her government which led to a near total collapse of her government. She denies participating in any corrupt practices. Three days after her dismissal, a new government led by Damião Vaz d'Almeida was sworn in.