However, FRETILIN's unilateral declaration of independence from Portugal in November 1975 was rapidly followed by the Indonesian invasion of East Timor.
Boavida belonged to the so-called Maputo group of FRETILIN members,[2] including Marí Alkatiri (later prime minister), which spent much of the occupation (1975-1999) in Mozambique.
Following the resignation of Fernanda Borges,[3][4] Boavida became the Timor-Leste Minister of Finance[2][3][4][5] on 30 April 2002,[6] while the country was still under the administration of the United Nations.
From 20 May 2002, when Timor-Leste became independent, she became Minister of Planning and Finance,[7] and held that office until 8 August 2007,[8][9][10] when FRETILIN had to relinquish government after losing its absolute majority in the 2007 parliamentary elections.
[11] In 2013, Boavida was appointed as a non-executive member of the Council of the Central Bank of East Timor.