Fernando Collor de Mello, the 32nd President of Brazil
Fernando Collor de Mello, the 32nd President from Brazil
Born on August 12, 1949, Fernando Collor de Mello is heir to one of the most traditional families of Alagoas politics. His father was former Senator Arnon de Mello
Fernando Collor’s family owns the organization Arnon de Mello, which today has TV, radio and digital newspaper and its own printed in Alagoas
Its entry into politics occurred at the end of the military dictatorship. He was mayor of Maceió from 1979 to 1982, federal deputy by Alagoas from 1983 to 1987 and governor of the state from 1987 to 1989
Collor gained national projection in the late 1980s by undertaking a campaign against civil servants who received disproportionate salaries, becoming known as “Marajás Hunter”
Fernando Collor de Mello was the first Brazilian president elected by direct vote after the military dictatorship. He beat Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the second round and took over the federal government in March 1990
The day after the inauguration, the Collor plan was announced, an economic measure created to try to contain inflation that caused the confiscation of the savings of Brazilians, led companies to bankruptcy and the economy to a recession
Another strong mark of his government was the cases of corruption. The complaints were made by his own brother, Pedro Collorand involved the treasurer of their campaign, PC Farias
Pedro Collor stated that PC participated in a scheme with fraudulent competition, money laundering and payment of personal accounts of the president with campaign money
The scheme also included influence trafficking within the government, and Pedro Collor accused Fernando of being aware and agreed with him. Corruption would also have involved reforms at Dinda’s house, the mansion where the family lived in Brasilia
Complaints of corruption led to the installation of a CPI in Congress and the population went to the streets in demonstrations with the “painted guys” and using black in opposition to the government, an impeachment process was opened
In September 1992, the House of Representatives voted for the opening of the process, with 441 votes in favor and 38 against, departing Collor from office to respond. The final judgment in the Senate began in December 1992
During the Senate session that could revoke his mandate, Collor decided to resign, on December 29, 1992. Despite the resignation, the Senate continued with the trial and decided to withdraw from the position by 76 votes to 2
With this decision, he was also prevented from holding public office for eight years. After impeachment and judicial acquittal of crimes related to him, Collor returned to politics in 2006 as a senator, a position he held until the beginning of 2023
Collor was accused of receiving at least R $ 20 million in bribes in a corruption scheme at BR Distribuidora, Petrobras’ subsidiary, between 2010 and 2014
In May 2023, he was convicted of the STF for passive corruption and money laundering. The penalty was fixed in 8 years and 10 months of imprisonment in closed initial regime
After the Supreme Court rejected funds from his defense, Minister Alexandre de Moraes ordered his arrest and, on April 25, 2025, Fernando Collor was arrested in Maceió to start serving his sentence.
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