O government of João Baptista Figueiredo lasted from 1979 to 1985. He was the last general to occupy the position of president of Brazil in the period of Military dictatorship.
His government was characterized by the country's political openness and the transition from dictatorship to democracy, a process that had already begun during the government of Ernesto Geisel.
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In addition to sanctioning the Amnesty Law, consolidated direct elections for Congress and state governments.
João Baptista Figueiredo was born in 1918, in Rio de Janeiro. The son of a military man, he studied at various military institutions, such as the Colégio Militar de Porto Alegre and the Escola Militar de Realengo.
Between 1961 and 1964, he served on the National Security Council and commanded the Army General Staff. In addition, he was a member of the General Secretariat of the National Security Council of the government of Janio Quadros (1961).
Participated in the articulation of the military movement that took João Goulart of power and established the military dictatorship in Brazil. Some of his duties during the regime were:
In order to demonstrate the beginning of the end of the regime, he enacted several laws that helped the return of civilians to power.
After leaving the presidency, he abandoned politics. He passed away in 1999.
João Baptista Figueiredo took power when the country was facing a serious economic crisis. In addition, demonstrations against the regime gained strength. Let's look at some points of his government:
He needed to control and manage an economic crisis of the already exhausted model followed by previous governments to his. One of the main obstacles faced by Figueiredo was the oil crisis.
Created the Pro-alcohol program with the aim of making the country independent with regard to the production and use of alcohol. Petroleum.
This initiative made the country look for other renewable fuel alternatives, thus, Brazil became the only country to have alcohol-powered cars.
The construction of nuclear power plants continued in the city of Angra dos Reis, in Rio de Janeiro, however, the works were abandoned due to lack of resources.
Determined that the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) would grant credit to national companies, in addition to financing public works.
However, his economic policy did not control the inflation and the increase in the cost of living that mainly affected the poorest population in the country. In 1981, Brazil's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stagnated and inflation reached 61 billion dollars.
A Brazil's political opening it was the main commitment of the João Baptista Figueiredo government, which enacted the Amnesty Law in 1979, which determined the return of exiles and the release of those accused of political crimes.
During the dictatorial regime, Brazil lived bipartisanship with the parties:
The political opening allowed the emergence of several parties, they were:
During Figueiredo's term, the project that established direct voting for both state governments and mayors, deputies and senators, except for the president, was approved.
The process of political opening was not well accepted by radical right-wing groups. As a result, newsstands selling left-wing content were attacked.
In addition, in 1980, letter bombs were sent to the headquarters of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and to the City Council of Rio de Janeiro. Such an attack killed one person and maimed another.
In 1981, on the day of an event commemorating the Labor Day, in Riocentro, two soldiers went to the scene armed with bombs. However, one of them exploded in the parking lot, killing one of them and seriously injuring the other.
Social movements were strengthened by the rise in prices and the stoppage of production. Among the main resistance movements is the 41-day strike by metallurgists in the ABC region of São Paulo (metropolitan region of São Paulo).
The leaders of the mobilization were arrested, among them was Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, former president of Brazil.
In 1981, the Single Workers' Central (CUT) was created. In 1982, popular participation took place in elections for Congress and for state governors. Between 1983 and 1984, there was a movement Direct now, in favor of direct elections for the presidency of the Republic.
The possibility of direct elections for the position of president of Brazil was materialized by the proposed Constitutional Amendment Dante de Oliveira voted by Congress. However, even with the intense campaign led by the Brazilian people, the amendment was not approved.
Therefore, Tancredo Neves comes to power through indirect elections in 1985. Tancredo did not take office, as he died before, the victim of numerous surgeries caused by the unsuccessful removal of a benign tumor in the intestine.
Deputy of him, Jose Sarney, assumes the position of president of Brazil, the first civilian president after the end of military dictatorship.
It's just to open. Anyone who wants it not to open, I'll arrest and break it. I have no doubts. [On political openness during the military dictatorship.]
I prefer the smell of horses to the smell of people.
Well, the people, the people who will be able to listen to me, will be perhaps the 70% of Brazilians who are supporting Tancredo. So I hope they are right, that Doctor Tancredo manages to make a good government for them. And let me forget.
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