Itamar Franco
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Itamar Augusto Cautiero Franco
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| In office December 29, 1992 – January 1, 1995 Acting President from October 2, 1992 |
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| Vice President | None |
| Preceded by | Fernando Collor de Mello |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
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| In office March 15, 1990 – December 29, 1992 |
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| President | Fernando Collor de Mello |
| Preceded by | José Sarney |
| Succeeded by | Marco Maciel |
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| In office January 1, 1999 – January 1, 2003 |
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| President | Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Azeredo |
| Succeeded by | Aécio Neves |
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| Born | June 28, 1930 Atlantic Ocean off Brazil |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Political party | Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro) |
Itamar Augusto Cautiero Franco, usually known as Itamar Franco (Portuguese pronunciation: [itɐˈmaʁ ˈfɾɐ̃kʊ]; born June 28, 1930) is a Brazilian politician who was President of Brazil from December 29, 1992 to January 1, 1995.
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[edit] Life and career
Itamar Franco was born prematurely[1] at sea, aboard a ship traveling between Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. He was named Itamar because he was born on board of ship Ita, at sea (in Portuguese Mar). His family was from Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, where he grew up and became a civil engineer in 1955, graduating from the School of Engineering of Juiz de Fora. Franco was mayor of Juiz de Fora from 1967 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1974. He resigned as mayor in 1974 and ran successfully for the Federal Senate as a representative of Minas Gerais. He soon became a senior figure in the MDB (Movimento Democrático Brasileiro - Brazilian Democratic Movement), the official opposition to the military regime that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. Re-elected as a senator in 1982, he was defeated in an attempt to be elected governor of Minas Gerais in 1986 as a candidate of the Liberal Party (PL).
[edit] Vice Presidency
In 1989, Franco left PL and joined the small PRN (National Reconstruction Party) to be selected the running-mate of the presidential candidate Fernando Collor de Mello. A main reason behind Franco's selection was that he represented one of the largest states (in contrast to Collor, who was from small state of Alagoas), and publicly he gained during his call for impeachment against President Jose Sarney for an alleged corruption[2].
Collor and Franco won a very narrow election against current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Once in office, Franco broke with Collor, threatening a resignation several times, as he disagreed with some of the President's policies, especially regarding privatization, voicing his opposition openly[3].
In 1992, Collor was charged with corruption and was impeached by the Congress. Franco was acting president from October 1992 until Collor's impeachment in December of that year, at which point he formally took office as president.
When he became Acting President, despite being a Vice President for nearly 3 years, polls show that most of the half of Brazilians didn't know who he is[4].
[edit] Presidency
[edit] Domestic policy and presidential style
Franco took power as Brazil was in the midst of a severe economic crisis, with inflation reaching 1,100% in 1992 and rocketing to almost 6,000% in 1993. Franco developed a reputation as a mercurial leader, but he selected as his Finance Minister Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who launched the "Plano Real" that stabilized the economy and ended inflation.
In an unusual gesture, moments before taking office, Franco handed senators a piece of paper on which he had listed his personal net worth and properties. Initially his approval ranting reached 60 percent[5].
After troublent Collor Presidency Franco quickly installed a politically-balanced cabiten ad southgn broad support in Congress[6].
During Franco Presidency, in April 1993, Brazil held a long-announced referendum to determine political system (reaining a Republic or restoration of the Monarchy) and the form of government (presidential of parliamentary system)[7]. Republican and presidential system prevailed by a large majorities respectively[8].
In 1993 Franco resisted a calls from various military and civilian offices to shut down the Congress, which was described by some sources as a "coup attempt"[9].
His administration is credited for restoring an intergity and stability in government, particularly after troublent Collor Presidency. The President himself won a reputation of honesty and his personal style was wieved as very different from Collor, who practiced "an imperial and ceremonious presidential role". On the other hand Franco own personal behavior was sometimes described as temperamential and eccentric[10][11][12].
In late 1993, Franco offered a resignation in order to call an earlier election, but Congress turned it down[13].
At the end of term, Franco's job approbal ranting soared to nearly 80-90 percent, a record unbeaten to date[14][15].
[edit] Foreign policy
Despite being sometimes described as a "man with limited diplomatic skills", Franco is credited with launching of idea of a free trade zone covering the whole of South America, which was praised by such leader as U.S. President Bill Clinton[16].
Also during his Government, Brazil ratified important pacts (for example Tlatelolco Treaty and a quadripartite agreement also involving Argentina and the International Atomic Energy Agency on full-scope safeguards), which set Brazil on the nonproliferation path[17].
[edit] After the Presidency
Cardoso became the official candidate to succeed Franco and was elected President in late 1994. Franco, however, soon became a severe critic of Cardoso's government and disagreed with the privatization program. Thereafter, he served as the Brazilian Ambassador to Portugal in Lisbon and then as Brazilian Ambassador to the Organization of American States in Washington, DC until 1998. He was elected governor of Minas Gerais in 1998 and as soon as he took office, he enacted a moratorium on state debt payments, worsening the national economic crisis. Itamar Franco served until 2003 and since then has been the ambassador of Brazil in Italy, until leaving the position in 2005. During the 2002 presidential election, Franco endorsed Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who got elected[18].
[edit] Personal live
Franco is divorced since 1971 and had two grown daughters[19][20]. Before and during his Presidency he held a repution of a ladies man and his personal life was a subject of huge interest of public[21][22][23].
He is an author of some 19 published works ranging from discussions on nuclear energy to short stories[24].
[edit] Quotes
- What is modernity? Is it defending foreign interests, or defending interests of our country[25]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/brazils-leader-all-at-sea-as-economy-sinks-itamar-francos-course-is-still-uncertain-writes-phil-davison-in-rio-de-janeiro-1454374.html
- ^ http://countrystudies.us/brazil/97.htm
- ^ http://countrystudies.us/brazil/97.htm
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/brazils-leader-all-at-sea-as-economy-sinks-itamar-francos-course-is-still-uncertain-writes-phil-davison-in-rio-de-janeiro-1454374.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/30/world/man-in-the-news-inheritor-of-tarnished-presidency-itamar-augusto-cantiero-franco.html
- ^ http://countrystudies.us/brazil/97.htm
- ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4000/is_200110/ai_n8962604/pg_8
- ^ http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/f/itamar_franco/?offset=30&s=newest
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/07/world/brazilian-official-tells-of-93-plot.html
- ^ http://countrystudies.us/brazil/97.htm
- ^ Jane Ladle, Huw Hennessy, Brian Bell, Brazil, Langenscheidt Publishing Group, 1998, ISBN 0887291309, 9780887291302
- ^ http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-876463.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/21/world/brazil-leader-s-offer-to-quit-is-turned-down-by-congress.html
- ^ http://countrystudies.us/brazil/97.htm
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/31/opinion/l-brazil-s-ex-president-accomplished-much-871595.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/31/opinion/l-brazil-s-ex-president-accomplished-much-871595.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/31/opinion/l-brazil-s-ex-president-accomplished-much-871595.html
- ^ http://www.latinamericanpost.com/index.php?mod=seccion&secc=71&conn=1220
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/30/world/man-in-the-news-inheritor-of-tarnished-presidency-itamar-augusto-cantiero-franco.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/27/style/a-squall-at-carnival.html
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/brazils-leader-all-at-sea-as-economy-sinks-itamar-francos-course-is-still-uncertain-writes-phil-davison-in-rio-de-janeiro-1454374.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/27/style/a-squall-at-carnival.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/27/style/a-squall-at-carnival.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/30/world/man-in-the-news-inheritor-of-tarnished-presidency-itamar-augusto-cantiero-franco.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/30/world/man-in-the-news-inheritor-of-tarnished-presidency-itamar-augusto-cantiero-franco.html
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Adhemar Rezende de Andrade |
Mayor of Juiz de Fora 1967 – 1971 |
Succeeded by Agostinho Pestana |
| Preceded by Agostinho Pestana |
Mayor of Juiz de Fora 1973 – 1974 |
Succeeded by Saulo Moreira |
| Preceded by José Sarney |
Vice-President of Brazil March 15, 1990 – September 2, 1992 |
Succeeded by Marco Maciel |
| Preceded by Fernando Collor de Mello |
President of Brazil September 2, 1992 – January 1, 1995 |
Succeeded by Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
| Preceded by Eduardo Brandão de Azeredo |
Governor of Minas Gerais 1999 – 2003 |
Succeeded by Aécio Neves |
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