The VIII Constitutional Government (, ) was the eighth Constitutional Government (administration or cabinet) under the Constitution of Timor-Leste. Formed on 22 June 2018, and restructured in mid-2020, it was led by the country's seventh Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, and was replaced by the IX Constitutional Government on 1 July 2023.
Initial (AMP) composition (22 June 2018–24 June 2020)
Initially, the VIII Constitutional Government was drawn from and supported by a coalition known as the Alliance for Change and Progress (AMP), which was made up of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), the People's Liberation Party (PLP) and Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO).
The Ministers, Deputy MinistersThe Constitution of Timor-Leste provides, in sections 104 and 105, for the appointment of officials referred to in its English language version as "Deputy Ministers". In other English language publications, those officials are commonly referred to as "Vice Ministers", even though the word "Vice", in context, arguably has a different meaning in English from the word "Deputy". In this article, the constitutional expression "Deputy" is used. and Secretaries of State appointed to form the government as from 22 June 2018 until the government was restructured in mid-2020 were:
Ministers
PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio PLP Taur Matan Ruak Prime Minister Leader of the People's Liberation Party CNRT Hermenegildo Ágio Pereira Minister of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers(22 June 2018 – 12 May 2020) PLP Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães Minister for Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs CNRT Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation(22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020) Independent Manuel Cárceres da Costa Minister of Justice CNRT Dulce de Jesus Soares Minister of Education, Youth and Sports(22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020) PLP Longuinhos dos Santos Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture KHUNTO Armanda Berta dos Santos Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion PLP Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires Minister of Public Works KHUNTO José Agustinho da Silva Minister of Transport and Communications KHUNTO Joaquim José Gusmão dos Reis Martins Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Independent Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus Minister of Defense
Deputy Ministers
PartyDeputy MinisterPortraitPortfolio CNRTSara Lobo Brites Deputy Minister of Finance CNRTAbílio José Caetano Deputy Minister of State Administration(22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020) CNRT Élia dos Reis Amaral Deputy Minister of Health(22 June 2018 – 3 April 2020) PLP Deputy Minister of Health KHUNTOJoão Zacarias Freitas Soares Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports PLPSigni Verdial Deputy Minister for Social Solidarity KHUNTONicolau Lino Freitas Belo Deputy Minister of Public Works
Secretaries of State
PartySecretary of StatePortraitPortfolio KHUNTOJulião da Silva Secretary of State of Vocational Training and Employment CNRTArsénio Pereira da Silva Secretary of State for Cooperatives(22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020) PLPDemetrio do Amaral de Carvalho Secretary of State for the Environment PLPMerício Juvenal dos Reis Akara Secretary of State for Social Communications KHUNTOMário Ximenes Secretary of State for Land and Property CNRTNélio Isaac Sarmento Secretary of State for Youth and Sport(22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020) PLPTeófilo Caldas Secretary of State for Arts and Culture IndependentGil da Costa Monteiro Oan Soru Secretary of State for the Affairs of Combatants of National Liberation IndependentAlexandrino de Araújo Secretary of State for Civil Protection PLP Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion
Restructured composition (24 June 2020–1 July 2023)
Following a breakdown of the AMP coalition during the first few months of 2020, the government was restructured on 12 May 2020, new officials were appointed on 29 May and 24 June 2020.
At the swearing-in ceremony held on 29 May 2020, the Prime Minister said that the swearing-in of the government's new members aimed to "ensure the restoration of governing normality". He added that the Government intended:
He also said that:
Since the government's restructure, the Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Secretaries of State in the government have been as stated in the tables below.
In March 2022, six officials in the government were replaced. The first four replacement officials were sworn in on 22 March 2022, and the remaining two on 31 March 2022. Details of all of those officials, including the dates of their cessation or commencement in office, are included in the tables below.
On 1 July 2023, the government was replaced by the IX Constitutional Government.
Ministers
PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio PLP Taur Matan Ruak Prime Minister Minister of the Interior Leader of the People's Liberation Party KHUNTO Armanda Berta dos Santos Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion Fretilin José Maria dos Reis Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Planning and Territory PLP Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Fretilin Joaquim Amaral Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Fretilin Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication Fretilin Fernando Hanjam Minister of Finance(29 May 2020 – 5 November 2020) Independent Rui Augusto Gomes Minister of Finance(23 November 2020 – 1 July 2023) Fretilin Adaljíza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation PLP Manuel Cárceres da Costa Minister of Justice(22 June 2018 – 22 March 2022) Tiago Amaral Sarmento Minister of Justice(22 March 2022 – 1 July 2023) FretilinMiguel Pereira de Carvalho Minister of State Administration FretilinOdete Maria Freitas Belo Minister of Health FretilinArmindo Maia Minister of Education, Youth and Sport PLP Longuinhos dos Santos Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture PD Júlio Sarmento da Costa "Meta Mali" Minister for the Affairs of National Liberation Combatants PLP Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires Minister of Public Works(22 June 2018 – 22 March 2022) PLP Abel Pires da Silva Minister of Public Works(22 March 2022 – 1 July 2023) KHUNTO José Agustinho da Silva Minister of Transport and Communications FretilinJosé Lucas do Carmo da Silva Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry KHUNTO Pedro dos Reis Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Independent Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus Minister of Defense FretilinVíctor da Conceição Soares Minister of Petroleum and Minerals
Deputy Ministers
PartyDeputy MinisterPortraitPortfolio Independent Sara Lobo Brites Deputy Minister of Finance(22 June 2018 – 22 March 2022) Deputy Minister of Finance(22 March 2022 – July 2023) KHUNTO Julião da Silva Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation KHUNTO José Edmundo Caetano Deputy Minister of Justice Fretilin Lino de Jesus Torrezão Deputy Minister of State Administration PLP Bonifácio Maucoli dos Reis Deputy Minister of Health KHUNTO António Guterres Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sport PLP Signi Chandrawati Verdial Deputy Minister of Social Solidarity KHUNTO Nicolau Lino Freitas Belo Deputy Minister of Public Works Fretilin Inácia da Conceição Teixeira Deputy Minister of Community and Cultural Tourism Fretilin Domingos Lopes Antunes Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry KHUNTO Abílio Xavier de Araújo Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries KHUNTO António Armindo Deputy Minister of the Interior
Secretaries of State
PartySecretary of StatePortraitPortfolio KHUNTO Alarico de Rosário Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment Fretilin Elizário Ferreira Secretary of State for Cooperatives PLP Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho Secretary of State for the Environment PLP Merício Juvenal dos Reis "Akara" Secretary of State for Communications KHUNTO Mário Ximenes Secretary of State for Land and Property(22 June 2018 – 22 March 2022) KHUNTO Secretary of State for Land and Property(31 March 2022 – 1 July 2023) Fretilin Abrão Saldanha Secretary of State for Youth and Sport PLP Teófilo Caldas Secretary of State for Arts and Culture Independent Gil da Costa Monteiro Oan Soru Secretary of State for the Affairs of Combatants of National Liberation(22 June 2018 – ) Júlio da Conceição "Loro Mesak" Secretary of State for the Affairs of Combatants of National Liberation(22 March 2022 – 1 July 2023) KHUNTO Elídio de Araújo Secretary of State for Fisheries KHUNTO Joaquim José Gusmão dos Reis Martins Secretary of State for Civil Protection PLP Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion(22 June 2018 – 22 March 2022) PLP Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion(31 March 2022 – 1 July 2023)
References Footnote
Notes
Further reading
External links Program of the Eighth Constitutional Government – Government of Timor-Leste Timor-Leste's Eighth Constitutional Government – La’o Hamutuk: Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis