Afonso Pena

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Moreira and the second or paternal family name is Pena.

His Excellency Afonso Pena
6th President of Brazil
In office 15 November 1906 – 14 June 1909
Vice President	Nilo Peçanha
Preceded by	Rodrigues Alves
Succeeded by	Nilo Peçanha
4th Vice President of Brazil
In office 17 June 1903 – 15 November 1906
President	Rodrigues Alves
Preceded by	Rosa e Silva
Succeeded by	Nilo Peçanha
President of the Bank of Brazil
In office 19 October 1895 – 14 November 1898
Preceded by	Francisco Rangel Pestana
Succeeded by	Luís Martins do Amaral
4th President of Minas Gerais
In office 14 July 1892 – 7 September 1894
Preceded by	Gama Cerqueira
Succeeded by	Bias Fortes
Ministerial positions (Empire) Minister of Justice In office 6 May 1885 – 20 August 1885 Prime Minister José Antônio Saraiva Preceded by Sodré Pereira Succeeded by Ribeiro da Luz Minister of Agriculture and Transport In office 24 May 1883 – 6 June 1884 Prime Minister Lafayette Rodrigues Pereira Preceded by Henrique d'Ávila Succeeded by Carneiro da Rocha Minister of War In office 1 March 1884 – 22 March 1884 Prime Minister Lafayette Rodrigues Pereira Preceded by Antônio Joaquim Succeeded by Filipe Franco de Sá In office 21 January 1882 – 3 July 1882 Prime Minister Martinho Álvares Preceded by Franklin Dória Succeeded by Carlos Afonso Minister of the Navy In office 21 January 1882 – 28 January 1882 Prime Minister Martinho Álvares Preceded by Viscount of Lima Duarte Succeeded by Bento de Paula Sousa
Personal details
Born	(1847-11-30)30 November 1847 Santa Bárbara, Minas Gerais, Empire of Brazil
Died	14 June 1909(1909-06-14) (aged 61) Catete Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Political party	Conservative Party (1874–1889) Mineiro Republican Party (1889–1909)
Spouse(s)	Maria Guilhermina de Oliveira ​ ​ (m. 1875⁠–⁠1909)​ ; his death
Children	12
Alma mater	University of São Paulo
Signature

Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena (Portuguese: [aˈfõsu awˈɡustu moˈrejrɐ ˈpenɐ]; 30 November 1847 – 14 June 1909) was a Brazilian politician who served as President of Brazil between 1906 and 1909. Before his political career, Pena had been an attorney, legal scholar and member of the Brazilian Supreme Court. He was the first President to die in office.

Pena began his political career in 1874 with an election to the Imperial General Assembly. In the succeeding years, Pena reconciled legislative work with some periods occupying secretariats—secretary of Agriculture (1882), Commerce and Public Issues (1883) and Justice (1885). Pena then presided over the provincial assembly of Minas Gerais.

After the proclamation of the Republic, he was governor of Minas Gerais between 1892 and 1894. It was during his administration that Belo Horizonte was set for the future state capital (which at that time was Ouro Preto). He ran in the presidential election of 1894, but lost by a large margin to Prudente de Morais.

In 1902 Pena became Vice President to Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves. He was elected president in 1906 and served until his death in 1909, a few days after the passing of his son Álvaro Pena.

Afonso Pena was the first Brazilian president to advocate intervening in the coffee economy. The federal government started to buy production surplus, thus maintaining the high price of coffee in international markets. Pena also promoted the expansion of railroads.

The reorganization of the Brazilian army was done by Hermes da Fonseca during the Pena administration. The president also supported Cândido Rondon's expeditions in the Amazon Rainforest.

Gallery

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  Painting of President Pena by Rodolfo Amoedo
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  Bust of Afonso Pena in the hall of the UFMG School of Law in Belo Horizonte, which he was one of the founders.
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  Press criticizing the young personnel of Pena's cabinet