About Taur Matan Ruak
José Maria de Vasconcelos (born 10 October 1956), popularly known as Taur Matan Ruak (lit. 'Two Sharp Eyes'), is an East Timorese politician who served as the fifth president of East Timor from 2012 to 2017 and as the 9th prime minister from 2018 to 2023. Before entering politics, he was the commander of the FALINTIL-Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL), the military of East Timor, from 2002 until 6 October 2011. Prior to serving in the F-FDTL, he was the last commander of the Armed Forces of National Liberation of East Timor or FALINTIL (Forças Armadas para a Liberação Nacional de Timor Leste), the insurgent army that resisted the Indonesian occupation of the territory from 1975 to 1999. Leaving the military in 2011, he stood as an independent candidate in the 2012 presidential election and prevailed in the second round of the vote, held in April 2012. Major-General Ruak's first official FALINTIL appointment was at the end of 1976. Ruak became the Commander of FALINTIL after the death of Commander Konis Santana on 11 March 1998.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.