August 2004

1

Mexico: In gubernatorial elections in Aguascalientes, Luis Armando Reynoso Femat of the National Action Party (PAN) wins 55.4% of the vote, defeating Óscar López Velarde of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) with 35.5%. In Oaxaca, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (PRI) is elected with 49.4% of the vote against 46.1% for Gabino Cué Monteagudo (PAN); turnout is 50.6%.

2

Philippines: Former foreign secretary (1984-85) Arturo M. Tolentino dies.

3

Brazil: The Supreme Electoral Tribunal annuls the 2002 reelection of Francisco Flamarion Portela as governor of Roraima and orders the installation of Ottomar de Sousa Pinto as governor. On August 4 Flamarion announces his intention to appeal the decision.
India: Shivinder Singh Sidhu is named governor of Manipur. He is sworn in on August 6.

4

Czech Republic: The new cabinet of Prime Minister Stanislav Gross is appointed. Cyril Svoboda remains foreign minister and Bohuslav Sobotka finance minister; Karel Kühnl takes over the defense portfolio and Frantisek Bublan interior. The government wins a vote of confidence on August 24 (101-99).
Madagascar: Former high commissioner (1948-50) Pierre de Chevigné dies.

6

Honduras: Finance Minister Arturo Alvarado resigns. William Chong Wong is appointed to take over as finance minister on August 31.

8

Italy: Former president of Basilicata (1970-82) Vincenzo Verrastro dies.
Malaysia: Tan Sri Samsudin Osman becomes head of the local authority of Putrajaya.

9

Australia: Tasmania Governor Richard Butler resigns. Chief Justice William Cox becomes acting governor.

10

Papua New Guinea: Peter Launa is sworn in as governor of Simbu.

Lee

Yeo

Singapore: Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong resigns. Lee Hsien Loong is sworn in as prime minister on August 12. George Yeo becomes foreign minister.
United States: President George W. Bush nominates Porter Goss to be the new CIA director.

12

Central African Republic: Finance Minister Jean-Pierre Lebouder resigns, effective August 15.
Trinidad and Tobago: Former foreign minister (1995) Gordon Draper dies.
Turkmenistan: President Saparmurat Niyazov dismisses Interior Minister Ashir Atayev and replaces him with Geldimukhammet Ashirmukhammedov.
United States: New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey announces his resignation, effective November 15.

13

Mongolia: Prime Minister Nambaryn Enkhbayar is elected as speaker of the Great Khural (parliament). Finance Minister Chultem Ulaan becomes acting prime minister until the election of Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj on August 20.

Mataskelekele

Vanuatu: The Electoral College fails to elect a president, the leading contenders being Willie David Saul with 27 votes and Donald Kalpokas with 26. The college reconvenes for a second round on August 16, and several votes are again inconclusive, but the chief justice commands the electors to continue sitting until they have chosen a president, and they finally elect Kalkot Mataskelekele with 49 votes against 7 for Saul.

15

India: Former chief minister of Gujarat (1985-89) Amarsinh Chaudhary dies.
Venezuela: In a recall referendum, President Hugo Chávez is confirmed with 59.1% voting against the recall and 40.6% in favour. Turnout is about 70%.

16

Barbados: Former foreign minister (1972-76) George Moe dies.
Dominican Republic: Leonel Fernández takes office as president. Rafael Alburquerque becomes vice president, Carlos Morales Troncoso foreign minister, Sigfrido Pared Pérez defense minister, Vicente Bengoa finance minister, and Franklin Almeida interior minister.
Réunion: Dominique Vian takes office as prefect, replacing Gonthier Friederici who left on August 13.

Jessen-Petersen

Serbia and Montenegro: Søren Jessen-Petersen takes office as Kosovo administrator.

17

Bolivia: Interior Minister Alfonso Ferrufino resigns. Saúl Lara is sworn in as new interior minister.
Guadeloupe: Paul Girot de Langlade takes office as prefect.

Zhilkin

Russia: The governor of Astrakhan oblast, Anatoly Guzhvin, dies. Aleksandr Zhilkin becomes acting governor.

18

Belize: Prime Minister Said Musa takes up the defense and finance portfolios in a cabinet reshuffle.

Zimba

Romulo

Bhutan: Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba takes office as prime minister.
Mexico: Former Yucatán governor (1984-88, 1995-2001) Víctor Cervera Pacheco dies.
Philippines: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appoints Alberto Romulo as foreign secretary and Avelino Cruz, Jr., as defense secretary.
Vanuatu: Prime Minister Serge Vohor forms a national unity government, replacing Maxime Carlot Korman with Ham Lini as new deputy prime minister. Lini also takes over the home affairs ministry.

19

Gyurcsány

Hungary: The ruling Socialist Party withdraws support from Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy. On August 25 Medgyessy resigns and the party picks Ferenc Gyurcsány to be the next prime minister. On August 26 President Ferenc Mádl announces that based on the constitution Medgyessy will remain in office until at least September 26. However, on August 27 Gyurcsány begins to act for Medgyessy.

22

Australia: Sir Angus Bethune, former premier of Tasmania (1969-72), dies.
Venezuela: Jesse Chacón is appointed interior minister.

23

Gaur

India: The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharti, resigns and Babulal Gaur is sworn in as chief minister.

25

Aziz

Pakistan: Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain resigns to pave the way for Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz to take over the post. Aziz is elected on August 27, with 191 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly, and sworn in on August 28.
Tuvalu: Prime Minister Saufatu Sopoanga's government is toppled in a no-confidence vote (8-6). On August 27 Sopoanga resigns as member of parliament, and Deputy Prime Minister Maatia Toafa becomes acting prime minister. On August 28 Governor-General Faimalaga Luka makes two abortive attempts to elect a new prime minister; according to the constitution a by-election for the vacant seat must be held first.

26

Brazil: Former Acre governor (1962-63) Aníbal Miranda Ferreira da Silva dies.

27

Russia: The president of Adygeya, Khazret Sovmen, fires Prime Minister Khazret Khuade.
Tonga: Deputy Prime Minister James Cecil Cocker is named internal affairs minister, a new post.

29

China: Edmund Ho is reelected as chief executive of Macau with 296 votes in the 300-member Election Committee.

Chandy

India: A.K. Antony resigns as chief minister of Kerala. Oommen Chandy is sworn in as chief minister on August 31.
Russia: Presidential elections in Chechnya are won by Alu Alkhanov with 73.7% of the vote against 9% for Movsur Khamidov. Turnout is 85.3%.

31

Asian Development Bank: Tadao Chino announces his resignation as president. The Japanese government names Haruhiko Kuroda as his successor, to take office Feb. 1, 2005.
Costa Rica: Finance Minister Alberto Dent Zeledón resigns.