the party, then called the committee for the liberation of são tomé and príncipe, was founded in 1960 as a nationalist group opposed to portuguese colonial rule. in 1961 it joined the concp with other communist and socialist groups fighting against the portuguese empire in africa. the clstp was set up by exiles who eventually established their base in nearby gabon. dr. manuel pinto da costa, who would eventually become president of an independent são tomé and príncipe, was the leader of the party. in 1972, the clstp became the mlstp.