António Guterres Biography

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, renowned as the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations, is a distinguished politician and activist affiliated with the Socialist Party. Born on April 30, 1949, in Portugal, he has left an indelible mark on global politics.

António Guterres Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography, & More

Guterres embarked on his political journey as a ministerial assistant to Mario Soares in 1974 and later served as a member of Portugal’s parliament from 1976 to 1983 and again from 1985 to 1995. Additionally, he represented Lisbon and Castelo Branco as a deputy in the National Parliament of Portugal during the same period.

Early Life

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres was born on April 30, 1949, in Parede, Cascais, Portugal, to Virgílio Dias Guterres and Ilda Cândida dos Reis Oliveira Guterres. He attended Camões Secondary School in Lisbon before pursuing higher education at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, where he obtained degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering. Guterres was raised in a supportive family environment, but details about his siblings are not publicly known.

Education

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres pursued his early education at Camões Secondary School in Lisbon before advancing to higher studies at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. There, he earned degrees in both Physics and Electrical Engineering, laying the academic groundwork for his illustrious career in politics and humanitarianism.

Age

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, born on April 30, 1949, in Parede, Cascais, Portugal, entered the world under the steadfast sign of Taurus. As of 2024, he stands at the age of 75, a testament to his enduring commitment to public service and advocacy.

Physical Stats

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, the esteemed 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations, stands approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall (165 cm).

Wife and Children

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres is married and has experienced two marriages. His first marriage took place in 1978, while his second occurred in 2001. His first wife was Luísa Amélia Guimarães e Melo (1946-1998), and his current wife is Catarina de Almeida Vaz Pinto, a politician. He has two children with his first wife: a son named Pedro Guimarães e Melo Guterres, who is a businessman, and a daughter named Mariana Guimarães e Melo Guterres. Additionally, he has a stepson.

Family

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres’s parents were Virgílio Dias Guterres (1913-2009) and Ilda Cândida dos Reis Oliveira Guterres (1923-2021). They played pivotal roles in shaping his character and values. Information about his siblings is not available.

António Guterres First Wife Luísa Amélia Guimarães e Melo

António Guterres Second Wife Catarina de Almeida Vaz Pinto

Career

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres embarked on a distinguished career marked by political leadership and humanitarian advocacy. Beginning as a ministerial assistant to Mario Soares in 1974, he later served as a member of Portugal’s parliament and represented Lisbon and Castelo Branco as a deputy.

Guterres’s commitment to social justice and humanitarian causes propelled him to the forefront of global politics, culminating in his appointment as the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations. Throughout his tenure, he has tirelessly championed peace, sustainability, and human rights on the international stage.

Medals and Award

• Sash of Special Category of the Order of the Aztec Eagle from Mexico (2 July 1999)
  Grand Cross of the Order of Honour from Greece (17 March 2000)
  • Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ from Portugal (9 June 2002)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty from Portugal (2 February 2016)
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III from Spain (8 September 2000)
  • Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold from Belgium (9 October 2000)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross from Brazil (23 July 1996)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (22 September 1997)
  • Grand Officer of the Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (10 December 1998)
  • • First Class of the Amílcar Cabral Order from Cape Verde (27 April 2001)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit from Chile (30 September 2001)
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (3 December 2001)
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit from France (4 February 2002)
  • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan (4 April 2002)

Net Worth

As the Secretary-General, António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres earns an approximate salary of $227,253. While his net worth is not publicly disclosed, his dedication to global diplomacy and humanitarian efforts is widely recognized.

Some Lesser Known Facts About António Guterres

• Guterres moved to Lisbon, Portugal, after spending some time in his birthplace Parede.
• He started activism at a very young age. While studying in school he began advocating for the rights of the poor people living in slums in Parede.
• Guterres is very familiar with India because his first wife was born in Goa. Due to this, he visited South Asia many times.
• António Guterres developed the hobby of playing chess in his childhood.
• During his youth days, Guterres grew a thick moustache as a tribute to Salvador Allende, a left-wing Chilean politician.
• When he was a teenager, Guterres joined numerous Catholic groups in Portugal and helped the groups in social work.
• In 1965, he completed his secondary education and won the “Prémio Nacional dos Liceus” for being the best student in the country.
• After completing his graduation, Guterres started working as an assistant lecturer at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisboa, Portugal. There, he taught Telecommunications Systems and Signals Theory.
• He became a part-time member of the Portuguese Socialist Party while working as a teacher.
• Guterres became a permanent member of the party and left teaching before the beginning of the Carnation Revolution which saw the removal of the dictator Marcelo José das Neves Alves Caetano in 1974.
• During the 1974 revolution, he held many important posts in the party and became a prominent political figure.
• Thereafter, he became a member of a negotiating team that engaged in several rounds of talks with the core committee of the European Union (EU), seeking Portugal’s entry into the EU.
• In 1986, Portugal became a member of the EU by signing the Single European Act (SEA).
• In 1991, after many refugees from Islamic nations entered Portugal as refugees seeking asylum, he established the Portuguese Refugee Council, a non-governmental organisation working to give equal rights to refugees.

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