He is the President of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD).

He was Minister of Public Works in July 2003, when he was detained by the military during a briefly successful coup d'etat led by Major Fernando Pereira.

After Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada was defeated in a May 2008 vote of no confidence proposed by the MLSTP/PSD, which was then in opposition, President Fradique de Menezes asked the MLSTP/PSD to form a government in June 2008, and it chose Branco to become the next prime minister.

[2] Trovoada's Independent Democratic Action (ADI) party denounced Menezes' designation of the MLSTP/PSD to form a government as unconstitutional.

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