His Excellency Jânio Quadros |
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22nd President of Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 31, 1961 – August 25, 1961 |
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Vice President | João Goulart | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Juscelino Kubitschek | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Ranieri Mazzilli | ||||||||||||||||||||
24th and 36th Mayor of São Paulo | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 1, 1986 – January 1, 1989 |
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Preceded by | Mário Covas | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Luiza Erundina | ||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 17, 1955 – January 31, 1955 |
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Preceded by | Porfírio da Paz (ex officio) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | William Salem | ||||||||||||||||||||
In office April 8, 1953 – July 7, 1954 |
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Preceded by | Armando de Arruda Pereira | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Porfírio da Paz (ex officio) | ||||||||||||||||||||
18th Governor of São Paulo | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 31, 1955 – January 31, 1959 |
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Vice Governor | Erlindo Salzano | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Lucas Nogueira Garcez | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Carvalho Pinto | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Jânio da Silva Quadros January 25, 1917 Campo Grande, Mato Grosso, Brazil |
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Died | February 16, 1992 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil |
(aged 75)||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Brazilian | ||||||||||||||||||||
Political party |
PDC (1947–1960) PTN (1960–1961) PMDB (1980–1980) PTB (1980–1986) Independent (1986–1989) PSD (1989–1989) Independent (1989–1992) |
Jânio da Silva Quadros (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʒɐ̃niu dɐ ˈsiwvɐ ˈkwadɾus]; January 25, 1917 – February 16, 1992) was a Brazilian politician who served as 22nd President of Brazil from 31 January to 25 August 1961, when he resigned from office.
Quadros was born in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. His meteoric career can be attributed to his widespread use of populist rhetoric and his extravagant behavior. He became mayor of the city of São Paulo in 1953 and governor of the state of São Paulo just two years later, in 1955. He was elected president of Brazil by a landslide in 1960, heading a coalition of his National Labour Party (PTN), the Christian Democratic Party and the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Union. His 15.6 percent margin of victory would be the largest margin for a presidential election held by popular vote until Fernando Henrique Cardoso won by 27 points in 1994. When he took office on January 31, 1961; it was the first time since Brazil became a republic in 1889 that an incumbent government peacefully transferred power to an elected member of the opposition. It was also the first time in 31 years that the presidency was not held by an heir to the legacy of Getúlio Vargas.
Quadros laid the blame for the country's high rate of inflation on his predecessor, Juscelino Kubitschek. As president, Quadros outlawed gambling, banned women from wearing bikinis on the beach, and established relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba, trying to achieve a neutralist international policy. The re-establishment of relations with the Socialist Bloc in the middle of the Cold War cost him the support of the UDN in Congress, so that he was left with no real power.