the election of Fernando Collor de Melo in 1989 came nearly thirty years after the last democratic electoral process in the country. Candidate of National Renewal Party (PRN), the former governor of Alagoas won the dispute in the second round, defeating the then candidate Luiz InacioLula da Silva.
The 1989 elections were marked by the euphoria of the population that in almost three decades was deprived of electing its most important representative. The elected candidate would receive the then president's presidential sash José Sarney, who came to power after the death of the president-elect Tancredo Neves.
The expectations around the candidates were huge, among the presidential candidates were:
- Mario Covas (PSDB)
- Paulo Maluf (PDS)
- Ulisses Guimarães (PMDB)
- Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT)
- Roberto Freire (PCB)
The elected president, in addition to the mission of meeting the expectations of Brazilians, would have to face a tough task, as the country was going through a great crisis caused by the instability of economic plans, inflation (inflation rates reached the mark of 1.764%) and high rates of unemployment.
In the presidential race an unlikely candidate stood out in the race: Fernando Collor de Melo he was elected by being affiliated with a newly created, discreet party, the National Renewal Party (PRN). Collor's campaign received prominence for its promises of intensive combat against corruption, he came to call himself the “Maharaja hunter”, that is, to civil servants who received high salaries.
His youthful dynamics demonstrated in the electoral program through his athletic exhibitionism attracted the attention of young voters. For many experts Collor won the elections using a campaign exhibitionist and demagogic.
Fernando Collor was sworn in as president on March 15, 1990. At pledges to eliminate corruption and the eradication of poverty ensured the victory of the charismatic young former governor of the state of Alagoas.
Collor came from a family traditionally engaged in politics, he was born in 1949 in Rio de Janeiro, but spent part of his youth in Brasília where he studied economics at the University of Brasília. He returned to Alagoas in 1973, engaging in politics, being elected mayor in 1979, federal deputy three years later and finally governor in 1986.
The prominence he achieved as governor of Alagoas would launch his candidacy for the presidency of the Republic three years later. Collor was elected president with thirty-six million votes, against the thirty-one million of his opponent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party (PT).
His voters placed in him the belief of a significant change in the country, capable of putting an end to inflation and poverty. The election that elevated Collor to the highest office in our nation was also the first in which the illiterate could vote.
The Collor and Government Plan
One of the first measures taken by the new president was the launch of a plan to combat inflation called the New Brazil Plan, popularly known as Color Plan. The responsible for preparing and developing the plan was the minister Zélia Cardoso de Mello, among the main actions contained in it can be highlighted:
- Free Online Inclusive Education Course
- Free Online Toy Library and Learning Course
- Free Online Math Games Course in Early Childhood Education
- Free Online Pedagogical Cultural Workshops Course
- Confiscation of bank deposits in checking accounts, savings accounts and other applications;
- Price and wage freeze;
- cuts in public spending;
- Sale of government real estate, vehicles and planes;
- Extinction of the Cruzado Novo and the return of the Cruzeiro as the national currency;
- End of subsidies and tax incentives;
- Launch of the National Privatization Program;
- Extinction of government agencies such as: Sugar and Alcohol Institute, Brazilian Coffee Institute, Central-West Development Superintendence, National Department of Works against Drought (DNOCS).
- Opening the Brazilian market to international trade.
The measures had a great impact on the economy and on the population, initially the withdrawal of money from circulation, after the blocking of bank accounts caused a reduction in inflation, however inflation rates rose again for six months later.
In 1991, rising prices were accompanied by rising unemployment, flattening wages and falling production. As a result President Collor's popularity plummeted.
The failure of the president's economic plan led his government to launch the Collor II Plan, but like the first one, this one was also received with suspicion by businessmen and the population in general, having no effect in containing the economic crisis.
Collor's impeachment
As if the serious economic crisis in which the country sank was not enough, Collor's government was shaken by a series of accusations of corruption. The whistleblower was his own brother, Pedro Collor de Melo, which revealed the existence of hidden schemes involving the e-treasurer of his electoral campaign. The network of people involved was even more extensive, ranging from ministers, close friends and even the first lady Roseane Collor.
The accusations provoked the opening by the National Congress of a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI), in charge of investigating the schemes. While the parliamentarians took the necessary measures to investigate the facts reported by Pedro Collor, the population was indignant with the accusations.
One of the most striking episodes of popular indignation was the emergence of the movement of Painted faces, in which young people painted their faces green and yellow and took to the streets to demand the impeachment of President Fernando Collor de Melo.
In October 1992, the Chamber of Deputies approved the president's removal request while the Senate considered the impeachment request. However, Collor anticipated and presented his resignation from the position even before being convicted.
The initiative was a vain attempt to prevent the revocation of their political rights. After this fact, the former president had his political rights suspended for eight years after being convicted by the Senate for a crime of responsibility, his deputy Itamar Franco he assumed the presidency and remained in office until the next elections were held in 1994.
Also check:
- The impeachment of Fernando Collor de Mello
- Discover the History of Elections in Brazil
Lorena Castro Alves
Graduated in History and Pedagogy
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