Background
Trovoada was born in Libreville, Gabon. He is the son of Miguel Trovoada, who was President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1991 to 2001, and was named after Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of Congo (Léopoldville).
Trovoada was born in Libreville, Gabon. He is the son of Miguel Trovoada, who was President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1991 to 2001, and was named after Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of Congo (Léopoldville).
He previously served as Prime Minister from February 2008 to June 2008 and again from August 2010 to December 2012. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from September 2001 to 4 February 2002. He was also oil adviser to President Fradique de Menezes until Menezes fired him in May 2005, alleging that Trovoada had used his position to advance his business interests.
He ran for President in the July 2006 presidential election, but was defeated by Menezes, the incumbent president
Trovoada was the only major opposition candidate and he received 38.82% of the vote. On February 14, 2008, Trovoada became Prime Minister.
He was appointed by Menezes following the resignation of Tomé Vera Cruz. On March 4, 2008, he made a brief official visit to Gabon.
Trovoada"s government was defeated in a censure motion in the National Assembly on May 20, 2008 after three months in office.
The motion, introduced by the opposition Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/Social Democratic Party), received 30 votes in favor, 23 opposed, and two abstaining. In June, Menezes asked the MLSTP/Social Democratic Party to form a government, and it chose its leader, Joaquim Rafael Branco, as Prime Minister. After the 2010 parliamentary election, Trovoada returned as Prime Minister on August 14, 2010.
He left office on December 13, 2012 after his government lost its parliamentary majority.
Trovoada is Secretary-General of Independent Democratic Action (Analog Devices Inc.), a political party.