Official portrait, 1956
Juscelino Kubitschek (12 September 1902-22 August 1976) was President of Brazil from 31 January 1956 to 31 January 1961, succeeding Nereu Ramos and preceding Janio Quadros. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Brazil, and he was seen as the father of modern-day Brazil, as he founded the capital of Brasilia, presided over economic prosperity and political stability, and had the respect of the people.
Biography[]
Juscelino Kubitschek was born in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil in 1902, and he worked as a medical doctor before becoming a deputy in the Federal Chamber in 1934. He was Governor of Minas Gerais from 1950 to 1954, and became President as leader of the nationalist right-wing Social Democratic Party of Brazil. The first Brazilian President from the business community, during his period of office industrial production rose by 80%, and th eeconomy grew by 7% per annum. The mood of progress was epitomized by the new capital city of Brasilia, which was constructed under his leadership, transforming an area of wasterland in 1956 into a symbol of modernity in 1961. However, these advances were achieved at the price of immense foreign debt and soaring inflation. The worsening financial situation was compounded by corruption and mismanagement. These factors led to the defeat of Kubitschek at the 1960 elections. Renominated for President in 1964, he was forced into exile by the military junta. He returned to Brazil in 1967 to become a banker, and he died in a car crash in 1976.