Antonio Guterres Portuguese politician Date of Birth: 30.04.1949 Country: Portugal

1. Biography of António Guterres
2. Personal Life

Biography of António Guterres

António Guterres, a Portuguese politician and statesman, is currently serving as the Secretary-General of the United Nations since January 1, 2017. Born in Lisbon in 1949, Guterres' parents, Virgílio Dias Guterres (1913-2009) and Ilda Cândida de Oliveira (b. 1923), were originally from Fundão, a district in Castelo Branco.

Guterres received his education at the prestigious Camões School, where he was recognized as the top student in Portugal in 1965 and awarded the National Lyceums Prize. He then enrolled at the Higher Technical Institute, studying physics and electronic engineering. During his time as a student, Guterres was involved with several Catholic youth movements. After graduating in 1971, he taught telecommunication systems theory.

In 1974, Guterres decided to pursue a career in politics and joined the Socialist Party of Portugal. That same year, he left his teaching position to fully dedicate himself to political activities. From 1992 to 2002, Guterres served as the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party. He also held the position of Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002.

In addition to his political roles, Guterres served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015. During his ten-year tenure, he actively worked towards addressing the global refugee crisis.

In the summer of 2016, Guterres was nominated as a candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations. On October 5, 2016, he was announced as the victor in the United Nations Security Council's vote for the position. On October 13, 2016, Guterres was officially elected by the United Nations General Assembly and assumed office on January 1, 2017.

Personal Life

In 1972, Guterres married child psychiatrist Luísa Amélia Gama Reis e Melo (1946-1998), who sadly passed away from cancer. They had two children together: Pedro Gama Reis e Melo Guterres (b. 1977) and Mariana Gama Reis e Melo de Oliveira Guterres (b. 1985). In 2001, Guterres married Catarina Marques de Almeida Vaz Pinto (b. 1960), who served as the Deputy Minister of Culture (1995-1997) and the State Secretary for Culture (1997-2000). Guterres also raises an adopted son, Francisco Vaz Pinto da Costa Ramus (b. 1998).

Besides his native Portuguese, Guterres is fluent in Spanish, French, and English.