In 2007 elections were held, but less than a year later rebel soldiers shot President Jose Ramos-Horta.
VOA: standard.2009.08.27
He and his would-be foreign minister Jose Ramos-Horta have made numerous pronouncements declaring that they want the new independent nation of Timor Lorosae to someday take its place at the United Nations.
Nobel Peace Prize laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta have signed an open letter calling on Iran to unconditionally drop the charges against the Baha'i educators.