On March 15, 1985, after 21 years of military dictatorship, José Sarney became the first civilian to take office as interim president of the Republic since 1964. With the Chief Executive, 21 ministers were also sworn in.
Sarney took the position interim because of Tancredo Neves’s illness, elected president of Brazil by the electoral college on January 15 of that year. The day, which turns 40, was also marked by the tension between military and politicians.
Two days ago, Tancredo had been hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery. The president -elect was hospitalized and underwent surgeries until he died on April 21 at the age of 75.
The ministers
Chosen by Tancredo Neves, currently five ministers who took office in March 1985 are alive. They are:
- Pedro SimonMinister of Agriculture (1985-1986). It’s 95 years old today
- NELSON DE FIGUEIREDO RIBEIROMinister of Reform and Agrarian Development (1985-1986). It’s 94 years old today
- Flávio Rios Peixoto da SilveiraMinister of Urban Development and Environment (1985-1986). Is now 79 years old
- Ronaldo Costa CoutoMinister of Interior (1985-1987). Is 82 years old today
- Almir Pazzianootto PintoMinister of Labor (1985-1988). Is 88 years old today
Another 16 ministers, who have died, also took office alongside José Sarney. They were:
- Aluízio AlvesExtraordinary Minister for Administration Affairs (1985-1986)
- Octávio Júlio Moreira LimaMinister of Aeronautics (1985-1990)
- Renato ArcherMinister of Science and Technology (1985-1987)
- José Aparecido de OliveiraMinister of Culture (1985-1985)
- Marco MacielMinister of Education (1985-1986)
- Leonidas Pires GonçalvesArmy Minister (1985-1990)
- Francisco DornellesMinister of Finance (1985-1985)
- Roberto Herbster GusmãoMinister of Industry and Commerce (1985-1986)
- Fernando LyraMinister of Justice (1985-1986)
- Henrique SaboiaMinister of the Navy (1985-1990)
- Waldir PiresMinister of Social Security and Social Assistance (1985-1986)
- Carlos Sant’annaMinister of Health (1985-1986)
- Antônio Carlos MagalhãesMinister of Communications (1985-1990)
- Aureliano ChavesMinister of Mines and Energy (1985-1988)
- Olavo SetúbalMinister of Foreign Affairs (1985-1986)
- Affonso Camargo NetoMinister of Transport (1985-1986)
Tension on the eve of possession
On March 14 of that year, Tancredo Neves had to be in a hurry and, therefore, could not participate in the inauguration on the 15th, nor José Sarney. This is because, according to the legislation, the deputy could only occupy the presidency of the Republic interim if the president had been sworn in before.
At the time, there were still rumors of an attempted coup d’état orchestrated by the military, which would prevent civilians, such as Tancredo and Sarney, from taking office.
In order to prevent this possible blow, in the early hours of March 15, Deputy Ulysses Guimarães wrote, with the help of other political leaders of the National Congress, a document establishing that, in order for the Senate to switch Sarney, a medical report was required attesting that Tancredo Neves had no physical condition to be in parliament at that time, allowing the deputy to take over his term.
In 1985, the country left behind more than two decades of a military dictatorship that restricted freedoms and was a symbol of censorship in Brazil.
The Brazilian redemocratization was consolidated after a new constitution – called Citizen Constitution – promulgated on October 5, 1988.
*With information from the Senate Agency and João Scavacin, from CNN
