Secretary-General Appoints Major General Luiz Guilherme Paul Cruz of Brazil

Force Commander of MINUSTAH

 

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Major General Luiz Guilherme Paul Cruz of Brazil as Force Commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). 

Major General Paul Cruz will replace the outgoing Force Commander, Major General Floriano Peixoto Vieira Neto, also of Brazil.  The Secretary-General appreciates Major General Floriano Peixoto’s performance while serving in MINUSTAH, where his dedication, professionalism and leadership greatly contributed to United Nations stabilization efforts in Haiti.

Major General Paul Cruz will bring with him extensive leadership and operational experience when he assumes his responsibilities in MINUSTAH.  He joined the Brazilian Army in 1972, graduated as an infantry officer in 1978 and subsequently had a distinguished military career, holding a number of senior command and staff positions.  As a colonel, he commanded the Military Police Battalion in Brasília, from 2002 to 2003.  In 2008, he was assigned the command of the Brazilian Battalion (BRABATT) in MINUSTAH.  After being promoted to general rank in 2008, Major General Paul Cruz was assigned the Command of the 5th Armoured Brigade, his most recent position.

Major General Paul Cruz graduated from the Brazilian Army Command and General Staff College and the Brazilian Army War College.  He has had wide-ranging command and staff experience, which includes experience as a staff officer in the Army General Staff, an instructor at the Command and General Staff College and, from 1998 to 2000, as the Brazilian Army Liaison Officer to the United States Military Academy (West Point).

Born in 1957, Major General Paul Cruz is married and has three children.

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For information media • not an official record