List of Presidents of Brazil

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This is a list of Presidents of Brazil.

Contents

1 Old republic
2 Vargas Era
3 The republic of 1946
4 The military dictatorship
5 The new republic
6 See also

6.1 External Links

Old republic

In 1889 the Repulic was proclamated in a coup led by Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, who deposed the Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro II and formed a provisional government. Two years later, in 1891, Constitution was written, based on the federative republic of the United States of America and the country itself was named Republic of the United States of Brazil. Deodoro was elected constitutional president by the parliament in the same year but resigned ten months later and Floriano Peixoto was inaugurated. Peixoto was succeeded by the first elected president in Brazil, Prudente de Morais.

Although it was theoretically a constitutional democracy, the Old Republic was caracterized by the power of regional oligarchies and the strict alternance of power between the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The vote in the countryside was often controlled by the local land owner, and less than 6% of the population had the right of vote.

In 1930, when Brazil was suffering the effects of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, a revolution broke in the country and the old republic ended. The president Washington Luiz, who was supported by São Paulo oligarchies, broke the rule of alternance between São Paulo and Minas and supported a candidate who was also from São Paulo, Júlio Prestes. Prestes won the election, but Washington Luiz was deposed three weeks before the end of his term and Prestes would never be inaugurated.

# President Took office Left office Vice President(s) Notes
1 Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca 50px November 15, 1889 November 23, 1891 Floriano Peixoto Led the Proclamation of the Republic
2 Marshal Floriano Peixoto 50px November 23, 1891 November 15, 1894 Inagurated after Deodoro's resignation
3 Prudente de Morais 50px November 15, 1894 November 15, 1898 Manuel Vitorino First elected president in Brazil
4 Campos Sales November 15, 1898 November 15, 1902 Rosa e Silva
5 Rodrigues Alves 50px November 15, 1902 November 15, 1906 Silviano Brandão
Afonso Pena
6 Afonso Pena November 15, 1906 June 14, 1909 Nilo Peçanha Died in office
7 Nilo Peçanha
June 14, 1909 November 15, 1910 Inagurated after Pena's death
8 Marshal Hermes da Fonseca 50px November 15, 1910 November 15, 1914 Venceslau Braz
9 Venceslau Braz 50px November 15, 1914 November 15, 1918 Urbano Santos
10 Rodrigues Alves 50px Delfim Moreira Died before inaguration
11 Delfim Moreira November 15, 1918 July 28, 1919 Inaugurated after Rodrigues Alves' death.
12 Epitacio Pessoa 50px July 28, 1919 November 15, 1922 Delfim Moreira
Bueno de Paiva
13 Artur Bernardes 50px November 15, 1922 November 15, 1926 Estacio Coimbra
14 Washington Luiz 50px November 15, 1926 October 24, 1930 Melo Viana Overthrown three weeks before the end of his term
15 Julio Prestes 50px Vital Soares Elected president, overthrowen by 1930 Revolution before inauguration

#	President	Left office	Vice President(s)	Notes
1	Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca	November 15, 1889	November 23, 1891	Floriano Peixoto	Led the Proclamation of the Republic
2	Marshal Floriano Peixoto	November 23, 1891	November 15, 1894		Inagurated after Deodoro's resignation
3	Prudente de Morais	November 15, 1894	November 15, 1898	Manuel Vitorino	First elected president in Brazil
4	Campos Sales	November 15, 1898	November 15, 1902	Rosa e Silva
5	Rodrigues Alves	November 15, 1902	November 15, 1906	Silviano Brandão Afonso Pena
6	Afonso Pena	November 15, 1906	June 14, 1909	Nilo Peçanha	Died in office
7	Nilo Peçanha	June 14, 1909	November 15, 1910		Inagurated after Pena's death
8	Marshal Hermes da Fonseca	November 15, 1910	November 15, 1914	Venceslau Braz
9	Venceslau Braz	November 15, 1914	November 15, 1918	Urbano Santos
10	Rodrigues Alves			Delfim Moreira	Died before inaguration
11	Delfim Moreira	November 15, 1918	July 28, 1919		Inaugurated after Rodrigues Alves' death.
12	Epitacio Pessoa	July 28, 1919	November 15, 1922	Delfim Moreira Bueno de Paiva
13	Artur Bernardes	November 15, 1922	November 15, 1926	Estacio Coimbra
14	Washington Luiz	November 15, 1926	October 24, 1930	Melo Viana	Overthrown three weeks before the end of his term
15	Julio Prestes			Vital Soares	Elected president, overthrowen by 1930 Revolution before inauguration

Vargas Era

# President Took office Left office Vice President(s) Notes
16 General Augusto Fragoso 50px October 24, 1930 November 3, 1930 Provisorial military junta after 1930 Revolution
Menna Barreto
Isaías de Noronha
17 Getúlio Vargas 50px November 3, 1930 October 29, 1945 Post abolished in 1934 President of the provisorial government from 1930 to 1934, Constitutional president elected by the Parliament from 1934 to 1937, Estado Novo dictator from 1937 to 1945
18 José Linhares 50px October 29, 1945 January 31, 1946 Provisorial president after a coup against Getúlio Vargas

#	President	Left office	Vice President(s)	Notes
16	General Augusto Fragoso	October 24, 1930	November 3, 1930		Provisorial military junta after 1930 Revolution
Menna Barreto
Isaías de Noronha
17	Getúlio Vargas	November 3, 1930	October 29, 1945	Post abolished in 1934	President of the provisorial government from 1930 to 1934, Constitutional president elected by the Parliament from 1934 to 1937, Estado Novo dictator from 1937 to 1945
18	José Linhares	October 29, 1945	January 31, 1946		Provisorial president after a coup against Getúlio Vargas

The republic of 1946

In 1945, Vargas was deposed by a military coup led by two ex-supporters of him. Nevertheless, he would be elected president once again and his influence in Brazilian politics would remain until the end of the second republic. In this period, three parties dominated the national politics. Two were pro-Vargas – in the left, PTB and in the center-right, PSD – and another anti-Vargas, the rightist UDN.

This period was very unstable. In 1954, Vargas committed suicide during a crisis that threatened his government and he was followed by a series of short-term presidents. In 1961, UDN elected the party's first president, Jânio Quadros, who resigned seven months later. In that time, the president and the vice-president were voted separately. The vice-president was a political enemy of Jânio Quadros, the leftist João Goulart. A brief crisis had taken place, and the solution was a parliamentarism system, in which Goulart was inaugurated with reduced powers. A plebiscite in 1963 restored presidencialism and a military coup deposed Goulart in 1964, starting the military dictatorship.

# President Took office Left office Vice President(s) Notes
19 Marshal Gaspar Dutra 50px January 31, 1946 January 31, 1951 Nereu Ramos
20 Getúlio Vargas 50px January 31, 1951 August 24, 1954 Café Filho Democratically elected. Committed suicide in office.
21 Café Filho 50px August 24, 1954 November 9, 1955 Inaugurated after Vargas' suicide. Declared himself unable to temporaritly discharge the powers of the presidency, citing health problems. Attempted to return to office after Carlos Luz´s deposition, but was prevented from doing by the leaders of the contra-coup that deposed Luz.
22 Carlos Luz 50px November 9, 1955 November 11, 1955 Inaugurated after Café Filho's resignation. Deposed by a contra-coup.
23 Nereu Ramos 50px November 11, 1955 January 31, 1956 President of the Senate
24 Juscelino Kubitschek 50px January 31, 1956 January 31, 1961 João Goulart
25 Jânio Quadros 50px January 31, 1961 August 25, 1961 João Goulart Resigned after seven months in office
26 Ranieri Mazzilli August 25, 1961 September 7, 1961 President of the Senate, provisional president before Goulart's inauguration.
27 João Goulart 50px September 7, 1961 April 1, 1964 After Jânio's resignation, he was inaugurated as President with restricted powers in a parliamentary system. A plebiscite in 1963 restored presidencialism. Deposed by a military coup.

#	President	Left office	Vice President(s)	Notes
19	Marshal Gaspar Dutra	January 31, 1946	January 31, 1951	Nereu Ramos
20	Getúlio Vargas	January 31, 1951	August 24, 1954	Café Filho	Democratically elected. Committed suicide in office.
21	Café Filho	August 24, 1954	November 9, 1955		Inaugurated after Vargas' suicide. Declared himself unable to temporaritly discharge the powers of the presidency, citing health problems. Attempted to return to office after Carlos Luz´s deposition, but was prevented from doing by the leaders of the contra-coup that deposed Luz.
22	Carlos Luz	November 9, 1955	November 11, 1955		Inaugurated after Café Filho's resignation. Deposed by a contra-coup.
23	Nereu Ramos	November 11, 1955	January 31, 1956		President of the Senate
24	Juscelino Kubitschek	January 31, 1956	January 31, 1961	João Goulart
25	Jânio Quadros	January 31, 1961	August 25, 1961	João Goulart	Resigned after seven months in office
26	Ranieri Mazzilli	August 25, 1961	September 7, 1961		President of the Senate, provisional president before Goulart's inauguration.
27	João Goulart	September 7, 1961	April 1, 1964		After Jânio's resignation, he was inaugurated as President with restricted powers in a parliamentary system. A plebiscite in 1963 restored presidencialism. Deposed by a military coup.

The military dictatorship

# President Took office Left office Vice President(s) Notes
28 Ranieri Mazzilli April 2, 1964 April 15, 1964 Provisional president after a military coup
29 Marshal Castelo Branco 50px April 15, 1964 March 15, 1967 José Maria Alckmin First military dictator
30 Marshal Costa e Silva 50px March 15, 1967 August 31, 1969 Pedro Aleixo Military dictator, left office after a stroke
General Aurélio Lyra August 31, 1969 October 30, 1969 Military Junta, inaugurated after Costa e Silva's illness.
Admiral Augusto Rademaker
Brigadier Márcio de Souza e Mello
31 General Garrastazú Medici 50px October 30, 1969 March 15, 1974 Augusto Rademaker Military dictator
32 General Ernesto Geisel 50px March 15, 1974 March 15, 1979 Adalberto Pereira dos Santos Military dictator
33 General João Figueiredo 50px March 15, 1979 March 15, 1985 Aureliano Chaves Last military dictator

#	President	Left office	Vice President(s)	Notes
28	Ranieri Mazzilli	April 2, 1964	April 15, 1964		Provisional president after a military coup
29	Marshal Castelo Branco	April 15, 1964	March 15, 1967	José Maria Alckmin	First military dictator
30	Marshal Costa e Silva	March 15, 1967	August 31, 1969	Pedro Aleixo	Military dictator, left office after a stroke
	General Aurélio Lyra	August 31, 1969	October 30, 1969		Military Junta, inaugurated after Costa e Silva's illness.
Admiral Augusto Rademaker
Brigadier Márcio de Souza e Mello
31	General Garrastazú Medici	October 30, 1969	March 15, 1974	Augusto Rademaker	Military dictator
32	General Ernesto Geisel	March 15, 1974	March 15, 1979	Adalberto Pereira dos Santos	Military dictator
33	General João Figueiredo	March 15, 1979	March 15, 1985	Aureliano Chaves	Last military dictator

The new republic

Since 1980, in the end of the Cold War, the military government started a process of gradual political opening, called abertura, the final goal of which final goal was the democracy. When the term of the last military president ended, however, no direct elections for president was taken.

Tancredo Neves, who had been prime-minister during the government of João Goulart, was chosen to be the candidate of PMDB, the major opposition party, but he was also supported by a large political spectrum, even including a significant part of the ARENA, the party that supported the military presidents. Tancredo was elected, but died before he could be inaugutarated. The first civilian president since 1964 was Tancredo's vice, José Sarney, himself an ex-member of ARENA. In 1988, a new democratic Constitution was passed, and democracy was consolidated.

In 1989, elections for president were held and the young Fernando Collor was elected for a five-years term. He was inaugurated in 1990 and in 1992 he become the first president in Brazil impeached due to corruption.

In 1995, Fernando Henrique Cardoso was inaugurated for a four-year term, but in 1997 an Amendment was passed and allowed him to be the first president in Brazil to be reelected.

In 2003, the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was inaugurated.

# President Took office Left office Vice President(s) Notes
34 Tancredo Neves 50px José Sarney

First civilian president since the military coup. Elected by the parliament, became gravely ill on the eve of his inauguration; died from that illness weeks later, not having taken office.
35 José Sarney 50px March 15, 1985 March 15, 1990 Civilian president. Acted as President during Trancredo´s illnes; inaugurated as President after his death.
36 Fernando Collor 50px March 15, 1990 October 2, 1992 Itamar Franco First elected president since the military coup. Impeached by the parliament due to corruption.
37 Itamar Franco 50px October 2, 1992 January 1, 1995 Inaugurated after Collor's impeachment.
38 Fernando Henrique Cardoso 50px January 1, 1995 January 1, 2003 Marco Maciel First president to be reelected to a consecutive term.
39 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
January 1, 2003 Present José Alencar Current president

#	President	Took office	Left office	Vice President(s)	Notes
34	Tancredo Neves			José Sarney	First civilian president since the military coup. Elected by the parliament, became gravely ill on the eve of his inauguration; died from that illness weeks later, not having taken office.
35	José Sarney	March 15, 1985	March 15, 1990		Civilian president. Acted as President during Trancredo´s illnes; inaugurated as President after his death.
36	Fernando Collor	March 15, 1990	October 2, 1992	Itamar Franco	First elected president since the military coup. Impeached by the parliament due to corruption.
37	Itamar Franco	October 2, 1992	January 1, 1995		Inaugurated after Collor's impeachment.
38	Fernando Henrique Cardoso	January 1, 1995	January 1, 2003	Marco Maciel	First president to be reelected to a consecutive term.
39	Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva	January 1, 2003	Present	José Alencar	Current president