Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz

Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz
Santos Cruz pictured in 2014
Born	(1952-06-01) June 1, 1952 (age 64) Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Allegiance	Brazil United Nations
Years of service	1968-present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	MINUSTAH MONUSCO
Awards	Order of Military Merit (Grand Officer) Order of Naval Merit (Commander)

Lieutenant general Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz is a Brazilian military officer who previously held the post of Force Commander of the United Nations' peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (known by its acronym, MONUSCO). He was appointed to this position by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 17 May 2013 and replaced by Derrick Mbuyiselo Mgwebi on 29 December 2015.

A graduate of the Military Academy of Agulhas Negras 1974 Promotion (Resende, Rio de Janeiro) and the Catholic University of Campinas, Santos Cruz has more than 40 years of national and international military experience. He served as Deputy Commander for Land Operations of the Brazilian Army from April 2011 and March 2013. He also served as Special Adviser to the Minister for the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs within the Presidency of Brazil.

Santos Cruz served as Force Commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) between January 2007 and April 2009. In April 2013, he received command of United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Santos Cruz commanded MONUSCO during the M23 rebellion and was praised for providing "strong backing" to the UN forces engaged alongside Congolese government forces.