Key facts
- Francisco Guterres, former president of East Timor, has died at age 71.
- He died on Sunday at Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Guterres served as president of East Timor from 2017 to 2022.
- He was a leading figure in the country's independence movement against Indonesian occupation.
- Guterres previously served as president of the Constituent Assembly and speaker of the National Parliament.
Francisco Guterres, a former president of East Timor and a prominent figure in the nation's struggle for independence, has died at the age of 71. He passed away on Sunday at Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he had been receiving intensive care. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
Guterres, widely known by his nom de guerre "Lu Olo," served as president from 2017 to 2022, concluding a long career dedicated to the political and armed resistance that culminated in East Timor's independence in 2002. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed condolences, noting Guterres' commitment to his people's freedom and the establishment of a democratic nation.
Fretilin, the party Guterres had led for years, described his death as a significant loss and highlighted his lifelong dedication to the independence movement, national unity, dialogue, peace, and political stability. Born in 1954 in what was then Portuguese Timor, Guterres rose to prominence resisting Indonesia's occupation from 1975 to 1999. He was instrumental in the transition to independence following a 1999 United Nations-backed referendum.
His political career included serving as president of the Constituent Assembly in 2001, overseeing the drafting of the constitution, and becoming the first speaker of the National Parliament in 2002. After multiple unsuccessful attempts, he was elected president in 2017 for a single term, ultimately losing his reelection bid in 2022 to current President Jose Ramos-Horta, another independence fighter. Guterres is survived by his wife, Cidalia Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres, and their children. Funeral arrangements are pending.