José Sarney
José Sarney de Araújo Costa (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈzɛ saʁˈnej dʒi aɾaˈuʒu ˈkɔstɐ]; born José Ribamar Ferreira de Araújo Costa; 24 April 1930) is a Brazilian politician, lawyer, and writer who served as 31st president of Brazil from 1985 to 1990. He briefly served as the 20th vice president of Brazil for a month between March and April 1985.
José Sarney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, 1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President of Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 21 April 1985 – 14 March 1990 Acting: 15 March 1985 – 21 April 1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President | None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | João Figueiredo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Fernando Collor de Mello | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President of Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 15 March 1985 – 21 April 1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Tancredo Neves | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Aureliano Chaves | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Itamar Franco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | José Ribamar Ferreira de Araújo Costa 24 April 1930 Pinheiro, Maranhão, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | PMDB (1985–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Spouse |
Marly Macieira (m. 1952) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | Roseana, Fernando, José | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sarney was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1955 until 1966 and of the Senate from 1971 until 1985. He was also the Governor of Maranhão from 1966 until 1970. During the Brazilian military dictatorship, Sarney affiliated himself with the government party, ARENA, becoming the president of the party in 1979. Sarney joined the dissenters, and was instrumental in the creation of the Liberal Front Party.
Sarney ran for Vice-President on the ticket of Tancredo Neves of PMDB, formerly the opposition party to the military government. Neves won the presidential election, but fell ill and died before taking office, and Sarney became President. He started out his term with great popularity, but public opinion shifted with the Brazilian debt crisis and the failure of Plano Cruzado to abate chronic inflation. His government is seen today as disastrous and clientelism was widespread having longlasting consequences for the Brazilian Republic post military dictatorship.
Following his presidency, Sarney resumed his senate career elected again in 1991 and serving until 2015. He also held the position of President of the Federal Senate three times following his presidency. At age 93, he is the oldest living former Brazilian president, and at the time of his retirement in 2015, had one of the longest congressional careers in Brazilian history.