Career
Da Costa Gomez was Prime Minister at the head of a coalition government with the Aruban People"s Party (Avon Products) from 1951 to 1954. His party negotiated full autonomy at the 1954 Roundtable Conference, involving the Netherlands and Suriname. Following the 1954 elections, the Democratic Party took over governing the Netherlands Antilles.
Da Costa Gomez remained the leader of the National People"s Party.
He was succeeded in leadership by Juan Evertsz after his death in 1966. Reforms led by Gomez led to legalization of tambú music parties in 1952.
In 1973 a statue of the statesman was unveiled in the center of the Curaçao capital Willemstad.