Background
Gilberto François Croes was born in Aruba on 28 January 1938.
government official politician
Gilberto François Croes was born in Aruba on 28 January 1938.
He was educated in Hilversum, in The Netherlands, after which he returned home to teach school.
He founded the Movimiento Electoral del Pueblo (MEP) in 1970, as a party seeking greater autonomy for Aruba. Subsequently, he served in both the island legislature of Aruba and the Staten (Parliament) of Netherlands Antilles.
During 1983-1984 there were extended negotiations among the governments of Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, and The Netherlands. Agreement was finally reached that on January 1, 1986. Aruba would become separate from the Netherlands Antilles, although maintaining a common currency, at least for the time being. Croes did not emerge as the first minister president of the newly autonomous Aruban regime, because in November 1985 his party was defeated in general elections by a rival coalition. In fact, Croes was badly wounded in an automobile accident the day before the transfer of power to the Aruban regime and could not participate in it.