On May 20, 2002, Xanana Gusmão, a charismatic leader and former resistance fighter, became the first President of the newly independent nation of East Timor. Born on June 20, 1946, in Manatuto, East Timor, Gusmão was of Chinese and Aboriginal Timorese descent. He grew up in a poor family and had a limited education. However, he was a natural leader and quickly rose through the ranks of the East...
Pioneering the Presidency: East Timor’s First Presidential Leader
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