Nicolau dos Reis Lobato

Nicolau dos Reis Lobato (24 May 1946 – 31 December 1978) was an East Timorese politician who is considered a national hero of the country.

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Quick Facts Political leader of the East Timorese resistance forces, Preceded by ...

Nicolau Lobato
Lobato in Declaration of East Timor (1975)

Political leader of the East Timorese resistance forces
In office 7 December 1975 – 31 December 1978
Preceded by	Francisco Xavier do Amaral (as President of East Timor under the UDI government)
Succeeded by	Position abolished^[a] Arnaldo dos Reis Araújo (as Governor of East Timor)
1st Prime Minister of East Timor
In office 28 November 1975 – 7 December 1975
President	Francisco Xavier do Amaral
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished^[b]

Personal details
Born	(1946-05-24)24 May 1946 Soibada, Portuguese Timor
Died	31 December 1978(1978-12-31) (aged 32) Mount Mindelo, East Timor, Indonesia
Cause of death	Killed in action
Nationality	Timorese
Political party	Fretilin
Spouse	Isabel Barreto Lobato (m. 1972; died 1975)
Children	1
Parent(s)	Narciso Lobato (father) Felismina Alves (mother)
Relatives	Rogério Lobato (brother)
Military service
Allegiance	Timor-Leste
Years of service	1975–1978
Commands	Falintil
Battles/wars	Indonesian occupation

Lobato was born in Soibada, Portuguese Timor, on 24 May 1946.

Lobato was the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of East Timor from 28 November to 7 December 1975. Upon the invasion by the Indonesian military, Lobato, along with other key Fretilin leaders, fled into the Timorese hinterland to fight against the occupying forces. On the final day of 1978, Lobato was ambushed by Indonesian special forces led by Lieutenant Prabowo Subianto (later son-in-law of President Suharto, now Indonesian president since 2024) at Mount Mindelo.^[1]^[2]

He was killed after being shot in the stomach on 31 December 1978 and his body was brought to Dili to be inspected by Indonesian press. What then happened to his body is unknown, but the East Timorese government continues to pursue the issue with the Indonesian government, so that his remains can be given a proper burial.^[3]

East Timor's main airport was renamed Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in his honour.

Nicolau dos Reis Lobato

Biography

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