Henrique Rosa

Henrique Pereira Rosa (18 January 1946 – 15 May 2013) was a politician from Guinea-Bissau who served as interim President of Guinea-Bissau from 2003 to 2005. He was born in 1946 in Bafatá.

Interim President of Guinea-Bissau

Rosa served as the interim President of Guinea-Bissau from 28 September 2003 until 1 October 2005. His appointment came following a 14 September military coup that deposed the elected government of President Kumba Ialá and subsequent talks between political officials, civil society leaders, and the Military Committee for the Restitution of Constitutional and Democratic Order, led by Veríssimo Correia Seabra.

The main goal of the Rosa-led caretaker government was to administer elections that would return the country to constitutional, democratic rule. This was achieved in March 2004 with the holding of a free and fair legislative election. A presidential election held in June and July 2005 was also considered democratic and transparent. The latter election was won by João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira, who had previously been President from 1980 to 1999; Rosa was not a candidate.

Also during this two-year period, Rosa's government managed to bring a level of political stability to Guinea-Bissau along with notable improvements in the country's human rights record.

Resignation and subsequent political activity

Rosa handed over power to Vieira on 1 October 2005.

Rosa stood as an independent candidate in the June 2009 presidential election, finishing in third place.

Death

On 15 May 2013, Rosa died at a hospital in Porto, in northern Portugal, after losing a nine month battle with lung cancer. He was 67 years old.