Presidency of José Sarney

The presidency of José Sarney, also called the José Sarney government (15 March 1985 – 15 March 1990) was a period in Brazilian political history that corresponds to José Ribamar Ferreira Araújo da Costa Sarney's first mandate as President of the Republic until his succession by Fernando Collor. Sarney took over the position on an interim basis after Tancredo Neves was hospitalized, and definitively on 21 April 1985, with his death, when Sarney became the first civilian president after more than twenty years of military dictatorship in Brazil.

The Sarney government recorded a growth of 22.72% in GDP (average of 4.54%) and 12.51% in per capita income (average of 2.5%). Sarney took office with inflation at 242.24% and delivered at 1972.91%.

Background

The country had been ruled by a military dictatorship since the Civil-Military Coup of 1964. The government was weakened, divided between the hard-line (more radical) military and the moderate military. The economy was suffering from high inflation, people were taking to the streets in the so-called "Diretas Já". Military officer Ernesto Geisel, president between 1974 and 1979, guaranteed a "slow, safe and gradual distension". Thus began the political opening. Little by little, the opposition, the old Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) gained strength. But it was under the government of João Figueiredo (1979-1985) that the country went over to civilians, after years of frustration. In 1985, Tancredo Neves was elected by the electoral college with 480 votes against 180 for Paulo Maluf who represented the dictatorship.

On the eve of Tancredo's inauguration on 14 March 1985, he was hospitalized. The next day, José Sarney took over on an interim basis until the incumbent took office. On 21 April 1985, Tancredo died at the age of 75, and José Sarney became permanent president.

Ministers of State

+MinistriesMinistryMinisterTerm of officeNotesMinistry of State Extraordinary for Administration AffairsAluízio Alves15 March 1985 to 4 September 1986Ministry replaced by the Secretariat of Public Administration on 3 September 1986.Ministry of State Extraordinary for Irrigation AffairsVicente Cavalcante Fialho14 February 1986 to 15 February 1989Ministry extinct.Ministry of AeronauticsOctávio Júlio Moreira Lima15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990The minister was a lieutenant brigadier. Ministry extinct in 2001.Ministry of AgriculturePedro Jorge Simon15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986Iris Rezende Machado14 February 1986 to 15 March 1990Ministério da Ciência e TecnologiaRenato Bayma Archer da Silva15 March 1985 to 22 October 1987Ministry replaced by the State Ministry of Industrial Development, Science and TechnologyLuiz Henrique da Silveira22 October 1987 to 29 September 1988Luiz André Rico Vicente29 September 1980 to 16 August 1988Ralph Biasi16 August 1988 to 15 January 1989Ministry of CultureJosé Aparecido de Oliveira15 March 1985 to 9 May 1985,

21 September 1988 to 15 March 1990Aluísio Pimenta29 May 1985 to 14 February 1986Celso Monteiro Furtado14 February 1986 to 1 August 1988Hugo Napoleão do Rego Neto1 August 1988 through 21 September 1988Ministry of EducationMarco Antônio de Oliveira Maciel15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986Jorge Konder Bornhausen14 February 1986 to 6 October 1987Aloísio Guimarães Sotero6 October 1987 to 30 October 1987Hugo Napoleão do Rego Neto30 October 1987 to 17 January 1989Carlos Corrêa de Menezes Sant'anna17 January 1989 to 15 March 1990Ministry of the ArmyLeônidas Pires Gonçalves15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990The minister was an Army GeneralMinistry of FinanceFrancisco Oswaldo Neves Dornelles15 March 1985 to 26 August 1985Dilson Domingos Funaro26 August 1985 to 29 April 1987Luiz Carlos Bresser Gonçalves Pereira29 April 1987 to 21 December 1987Maílson Ferreira da Nóbrega13 May 1987 to 15 March 1990Ministry of Housing, Urbanism and EnvironmentLuiz Humberto Prisco Viana23 October 1987 to 5 September 1988Changed its name to Ministry of Housing and Social WelfareMinistry of Housing and Social Welfare5 September 1988 to 15 February 1989Ministry extinct.Ministry of Industry and TradeRoberto Herbster Gusmão15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986Replaced by State Ministry of Industrial Development, Science and TechnologyJosé Hugo Castelo Branco14 February 1986 to 4 August 1988Luiz André Rico Vicente5 August 1988 to 17 August 1988Roberto Cardoso Alves17 August 1988 to 14 February 1989Ministry of JusticeFernando Soares Lyra15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986Paulo Brossard de Souza Pinto14 February 1986 to 19 January 1989Oscar Dias Correia19 January 1989 to 9 August 1989José Saulo Pereira Ramos9 August 1989 to 15 March 1990Ministry of NavyHenrique Saboia15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990The minister was an admiral.Ministry of Social Security and AssistanceFrancisco Waldir Pires de Souza15 March 1985 to 13 February 1986Raphael de Almeida Magalhães18 February 1986 to 22 October 1987Renato Bayma Archer da Silva27 October 1987 to 28 July 1988Jader Fontenelle Barbalho29 July 1988 to 14 March 1990Ministry of Agrarian Reform and DevelopmentNélson de Figueiredo Ribeiro30 April 1985 to 28 May 1986Ministry extinct.Dante Martins de Oliveira28 May 1986 to 2 June 1987Iris Rezende Machado2 June 1987 to 4 June 1987,

9 September 1987 through 22 September 1987 29 July 1988 through 11 August 1988Marcos de Barros Freire4 June 1987 to 29 July 1988Jader Fontenelle Barbalho22 September 1987 to 29 July 1988Lázaro Ferreira Barboza11 August 1988 to 16 August 1988Leopoldo Pacheco Bessone17 August 1988 to 15 February 1989Ministry of HealthCarlos Corrêa de Menezes Sant'anna15 March 1985 to 13 February 1986Roberto Figueira Santos14 February 1986 to 23 November 1987Luiz Carlos Borges da Silveira23 November 1987 to 15 January 1989Seigo Tsuzuki16 January 1989 to 14 March 1990Ministry of CommunicationsAntônio Carlos Peixoto de Magalhães15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990Ministry of Mines and EnergyAntônio Aureliano Chaves de Mendonça15 March 1985 to 22 December 1988Iris Rezende Machado22 December 1988 to 17 January 1989Vicente Cavalcante Fialho17 January 1989 to 15 March 1990Ministry of Foreign AffairsOlavo Egídio de Sousa Aranha Setúbal15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986Roberto Costa de Abreu Sodré14 February 1986 to 15 March 1990Ministry of Industrial Development, Science and TechnologyRoberto Cardoso Alves16 February 1989 to 14 March 1989It was called the Ministry of Industrial Development, Science and Technology, and later the Ministry of Industry and Trade Development.Ministry of Urban Development and EnvironmentFlávio Rios Peixoto da Silveira15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986Changed its name to Ministry of Housing, Urbanism and EnvironmentDeni Lineu Schwartz14 February 1986 to 23 October 1987Ministry of InteriorRonaldo Costa Couto15 March 1985 to 30 April 1987Ministry extinct.Joaquim Francisco de Freitas Cavalcanti30 April 1987 to 7 August 1987João Alves Filho7 August 1987 to 15 March 1990Ministry of LabourAlmir Pazzianotto Pinto15 March 1985 to 27 September 1988Erós Antônio de Almeida28 September 1988 through 14 October 1988Ronaldo Costa Couto14 October 1988 to 13 January 1989Dorothea Fonseca Furquim Werneck13 January 1989 to 15 March 1990Ministry of TransportationAffonso Alves de Camargo Neto14 March 1985 to 14 February 1986José Reinaldo Carneiro Tavares14 February 1986 to 15 March 1990

President's office President's officeÓrgãos da Presidência de Sarney Chief Minister Term Notes Institutional Security Bureau Rubens Bayma Denys 15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990 The minister was a division general. Civil Office José Hugo Castelo Branco 15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986 Marco Antônio de Oliveira Maciel 14 February 1986 to 30 April 1987 Ronaldo Costa Couto 30 April 1987 to 15 December 1989 Luís Roberto Andrade Ponte 21 December 1989 to 15 March 1990 National Information Service Ivan de Sousa Mendes 15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990 The minister was an army general. Armed Forces General Staff José Maria do Amaral Oliveira 15 March 1985 to 15 September 1986 José Maria was an admiral. Paulo Campos and Jonas were army generals. Paulo Roberto was a lieutenant brigadier. Valbert was an admiral. The organ was extinct. Paulo Campos Paiva 15 September 1986 to 14 September 1987 Paulo Roberto Coutinho Camarinha 14 September 1987 to 20 June 1988 Valbert Lisieux Medeiros de Figueiredo 20 June 1988 to 5 January 1990 Jonas de Morais Correia Neto 5 January 1990 to 15 March 1990Secretariat of Planning of the Presidency of the Republic João Sayad 15 March 1985 to 23 March 1987 Changed its name to Secretariat for Planning and Coordination of the Presidency of the RepublicAníbal Teixeira de Souza 24 March 1987 to 31 March 1987Secretariat for Planning and Coordination of the Presidency of the Republic 1 May 1987 to 21 January 1988 João Batista de Abreu 22 January 1988 to 14 March 1990 Secretariat of Public Administration Aluísio Alves 4 September 1986 to 15 February 1989 Its titular minister was the Minister of State Extraordinary for Administration Affairs (now extinct). Special Secretariat for Science and Technology Décio Leal de Zagottis 3 April 1989 to 14 December 1989 After the creation of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the agency was extinct. National Debureaucratization Program Paulo de Tarso Lustosa da Costa 15 March 1985 to 14 February 1986 The attributions of the National Program of Debureaucratization were transferred to the responsibility of the State Minister Extraordinary for Administration Affairs and to the State Minister of Justice. General Consultancy of the Republic Darcy Bessone de Oliveira Andrade 15 March 1985 to 28 August 1985 Paulo Brossard de Souza Pinto 28 August 1985 to 14 February 1986 José Saulo Pereira Ramos 14 February 1986 to 8 August 1989 Sebastião Batista Affonso 6 July 1989 to 28 September 1989 Clóvis Ferro Costa 28 September 1989 to 15 March 1990 National Land Policy Program Nélson de Figueiredo Ribeiro 15 March 1985 to 30 April 1985 The attributions of the National Land Policy Program were transferred to the Ministry of Agrarian Reform and Development.

Redemocratization

When he took office, Sarney stated that changes would come during the redemocratization process. The first of these came on 8 May 1985, when the constitutional amendment that established direct elections for president, mayor and governor was approved. Illiterate people were given the right to vote for the first time in Brazilian history, and communist parties were legalized.

In the process of redemocratization, a new Constitution was needed. This was because the 1967 constitution had been made during the military regime, and thus had a dictatorial character. On 1 February 1987, the Constituent Assembly of 1988 took office, responsible for creating the new constitution. The president of the Assembly was Ulysses Guimarães (PMDB-SP). Most of the Constituent Assembly was formed by the Democratic Center (PMDB, PFL, PTB, PDS and smaller parties), also known as the "Centrão". They were supported by the Executive Branch, represented conservative factions of society, and had a decisive influence on the work of the Constituent Assembly and the outcome of important decisions, such as the maintenance of the agrarian policy and the role of the Armed Forces.