José Sarney
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| José Sarney | |
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31st President of Brazil
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| In office April 21, 1985 – March 15, 1990 |
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| Vice President | vacant |
| Preceded by | Tancredo Neves (formally) João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo (indeed) |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Collor de Mello |
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| In office March 15 – April 21, 1985 |
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| President | Tancredo Neves |
| Preceded by | Aureliano Chaves |
| Succeeded by | Itamar Franco |
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| In office 1995 – 1997 |
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| President | Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
| Preceded by | Humberto Lucena |
| Succeeded by | Antonio Carlos Magalhães |
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| In office 2003 – 2005 |
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| President | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
| Preceded by | Ramez Tebet |
| Succeeded by | Renan Calheiros |
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| In office 2009 – 2011 |
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| President | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
| Preceded by | Renan Calheiros |
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18th Governor of Maranhão
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| In office January 31, 1966 – March 15, 1971 |
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| Preceded by | Newton de Barros Belo |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Neiva de Santana |
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| Born | April 24, 1930 Pinheiro, Maranhão, Brazil |
| Political party | Brazilian Democratic Movement Party |
| Spouse(s) | Marly Sarney |
José Ribamar Ferreira de Araújo Costa Sarney (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒʊˈzɛ ʁibaˈmaʁ feˈʁejɾɐ di aɾaˈuʒʊ ˈkɔstɐ sahˈnej]; born April 24, 1930, in Pinheiro, Maranhão) is a Brazilian writer and politician. He served as president of Brazil from March 15, 1985 to March 15, 1990.
He was the son of Sarney de Araújo Costa and Kiola Ferreira de Araújo Costa. In 1965 he legally adopted the name José Sarney de Araújo Costa, usually shortened to José Sarney ([ʒoˈzɛ sahˈnej]), for electoral purposes, since he was known as "Zé do Sarney", as in "José, son of Sarney". His father was named Sarney because he was born on property owned by Sir Ney, an Englishman for whom his father (José Sarney's grandfather) worked [citation needed]
[edit] Political biography
Sarney started his political career as a federal deputy in the late 1950s. He was a member of National Democratic Union (União Democrática Nacional--UDN), being aligned with the progressive wing of the party. He strongly supporter so-called "Revolution of 1964", a military coup that overthrew President leftist João Goulart in 1964[1].
After the military coup, Sarney was a member of the ARENA, the political party of the military government and was elected as governor of the state of Maranhão in 1966, serving until 1971.
Sarney, however, had never been quite accepted by military establishment, which tried to block his career. In 1979 ARENA changed its name to PDS at which time Sarney became president of the party. In 1984, the military rule was under pressure due to popular protests to reinstall direct elections for president (Diretas Já movement). PDS was divided, but launched Paulo Maluf as its candidate for the presidency in indirect elections. Sarney disagreed with this decision and left PDS and to join the opposition.
Due to the complex transition to democracy in Brazil, Sarney became the vice-president of Tancredo Neves, in the opposition ticket. Neves won the election of January 15, 1985, but on the eve of taking the oath he became severely ill. Sarney assumed office as acting president until Neves died on April 21, then he formally became the first civilian president in 21 years.
His succession raised some question because as Tancredo and he were not formally inaugurated, the acting presidency should have passed to Ulysses Guimarães, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and new, indirect elections should have taken place within ninety days of Neves' death. Guimarães, however, did not contest Sarney's accession, perhaps because he believed that the military would not accept such a scenario[2].
Sarney and the president of Argentina Raúl Alfonsín started the process of the creation of a common market between the two nations in 1985. As first steps, they agreed to subsidize regional trade with a special currency for the purpose (the Gaucho (currency)). This agreement led to the formation of the Mercosul in 1991.
He had to face many problems; an enormous foreign debt, rampant inflation and corruption as well as completion of the transition to democracy. Sarney launched an economic plan to stabilize the economy, called "Plano Cruzado", successful at first, but the inflation became stronger than ever after a year. A new and democratic constitution was promulgated in 1988, and in the following year the first direct elections since 1960 were held.
Sarney left the Presidency at the end of his term. He supported Fernando Henrique Cardoso as presidential candidate in 1994 and 1998, and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2002. Since leaving the Presidency, he has been a senator, being the President of the Senate of Brazil from 2003 to 2005. Presently, he is again the President of the Senate, a role he assumed on February 2, 2009.
As a writer, his best known novel is Os Marimbondos de Fogo. With this novel, he got the chance to become one of the Academia Brasileira de Letras members.
 President Sarney with Mario Soares, 35th President of Portugal, 1988 |
 From left: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Sarney, Nestor Kirchner and Raul Alfonsin |
 From right: Former President Sarney, Fernando Collor de Mello and Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Newton de Barros Belo |
Governor of Maranhão 1966 – 1971 |
Succeeded by Pedro Neiva de Santana |
| Preceded by João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo |
President of Brazil 1985 – 1990 |
Succeeded by Fernando Collor de Mello |
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