João Figueiredo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency General João Figueiredo
President of Brazil
In office March 15, 1979 – March 14, 1985
Vice President	Aureliano Chaves
Preceded by	Ernesto Geisel
Succeeded by	José Sarney
Head of the National Intelligence Service
In office March 15, 1974 – June 14, 1978
Appointed by	Ernesto Geisel
Preceded by	Carlos Alberto da Fontoura
Succeeded by	Otávio Aguiar de Medeiros
Chief Minister of the Military Cabinet
In office October 30, 1969 – March 15, 1974
President	Emílio Médici
Preceded by	Jaime Portela de Melo
Succeeded by	Hugo de Abreu
Personal details
Born	João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo (1918-01-15)January 15, 1918 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	December 24, 1999(1999-12-24) (aged 81) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Resting place	São Francisco Xavier Cemetery Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Political party	PDS (1979–85) ARENA (1978–79)
Spouse	Dulce Castro ​ ​ (m. 1942; his death 1999)​
Children	2
Alma mater	Military School of Realengo
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Brazil
Branch/service	Brazilian Army
Years of service	1937–1979
Rank	Army General

João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo (born January 15, 1918 – died December 24, 1999) was a Brazilian military leader and politician. He became the 30th President of Brazil, and he was the last president during the time when the military ruled Brazil. This period followed a big change in government in 1964.

Before becoming president, he was in charge of Brazil's Secret Service (SNI). The president before him, Ernesto Geisel, chose him to be the next leader. João Figueiredo became president on March 15, 1979, and served until March 14, 1985. He continued the process of bringing democracy back to Brazil. He also signed a law that forgave people for political crimes they committed during the military rule.

His time as president was difficult because Brazil faced a serious economic crisis. Many people were unhappy with the military government. This led to big protests in 1984, called Diretas Já. People wanted to vote directly for their president, which hadn't happened in 24 years. Figueiredo did not agree with this. In 1984, the Congress decided against direct elections. Instead, they held an indirect election, where members of Congress voted. An opposition candidate, Tancredo Neves, won this election. After his term, Figueiredo retired and passed away in 1999.

About João Figueiredo

João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo was the son of General Euclides Figueiredo. His father was sent away from Brazil for trying to change the government in 1932. Two of João's brothers also became generals. His family had lived in Brazil since the 1650s, coming from Portugal.

João Figueiredo studied at military schools. He became a captain in 1944 and a major in 1952. He worked for Brazil's military in Paraguay for a few years. He also worked for the secret service of the Army. In 1961, he joined the National Security Council.

While teaching at a military college, he became a colonel and later a general. When General Emílio Garrastazu Médici became president, Figueiredo was chosen to lead the president's military staff.

Leading the Intelligence Service

In 1974, João Figueiredo became the head of the National Intelligence Service of Brazil. This was Brazil's main security agency. President Ernesto Geisel chose him to be the next president. Figueiredo campaigned hard, even though he was sure to win. This was because the president was chosen by a group of lawmakers who supported the military. As expected, he easily won against the other candidate, General Monteiro.

Bringing Back Democracy

As president, Figueiredo continued the slow process of abertura, which means "opening" or bringing back democracy. This process had started in 1974. On August 28, 1979, he signed an amnesty law. This law forgave people who had been found guilty of "political or related" crimes between 1961 and 1978.

In the early 1980s, the military government could no longer control the two-party system it had set up. The Figueiredo government closed down the main pro-military party. It also allowed new political parties to form. In 1981, the Congress passed a law to bring back direct elections for state governors.

The election in 1982 saw the pro-government party win most of the votes. However, the opposition party also gained a lot of support. The opposition won the governorships in three important states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais.

Economic Challenges and Protests

Political changes were overshadowed by big economic problems. Prices went up very fast, and many people lost their jobs. Brazil's debt to other countries grew very large, reaching about US$90 billion. This made Brazil the country with the biggest debt in the world at that time.

The government tried to fix the economy with strict plans, but things did not get better during Figueiredo's term. The president also had health issues, including a heart attack. He took two long breaks for treatment in 1981 and 1983. However, his vice president, Antônio Aureliano Chaves, did not have much political power.

The opposition worked hard to pass a new law. This law would allow people to vote directly for the president in November 1984. But the proposal did not pass in Congress. Instead, Congress held an election for the new president. The opposition candidate, Tancredo Neves, won and became the next president after Figueiredo.

After his time as president, João Figueiredo did not return to politics. He lived a quiet life away from public attention. He passed away on December 24, 1999. After his death, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso announced three days of national mourning.

See also

In Spanish: João Baptista Figueiredo para niños

Images for kids

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  Figueiredo as Chief Minister of the Military Cabinet, 1972

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  Figueiredo signs official documents during his inauguration ceremony in the National Congress, 15 March 1979

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  Figueiredo and U.S. President Ronald Reagan riding horses in Brasília, 1 December 1982.

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  Figueiredo in the meeting room at the Planalto Palace. On the wall, a portrait of Emperor Pedro I