| Fernando Henrique Cardoso | |
|---|---|
| |
| 33st President of Brazil | |
| In office March 15, 1999 – March 15, 2007 | |
| Vice President | Marco Maciel |
| Preceded by | Itamar Franco |
| Succeeded by | José Alencar |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office Octuber 1, 1990 – March 28, 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Eliseu Resende |
| Succeeded by | Rubens Ricupero |
| Senator of São Paulo | |
| In office March 15, 1983 – Octuber 1, 1990 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 18, 1931 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Political party | MDB (1980-1988) PSDB (1988-) |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Cardoso (1953- 2018) |
| Children | 3 |
Fernando Henrique Cardoso, (June 18, 1931 -) better known as FHC is a Brazilian sociologist, professor and politician who served as the 33th President of Brazil from March 15, 1999 to March 15, 2007. He also served as Minister of Finance for the Itamar Franco government for 8 years. He has been a member and one of the founders of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) since 1988, being the first president by the party to be elected. He was pursued after the 1964 military coup, exiling himself in Chile and France, returning to Brazil in 1968.
FHC coordinated the preparation of the MDB's electoral platform. In 1978, he began his political career by running for the Federal Senate, becoming an alternate to Franco Montoro. After his election to the government of São Paulo, he assumed his seat in the Senate in March 1983. He participated in the Diretas Já campaign, contributing to the absence of political radicalization during the transition to democracy. He was defeated by Jânio Quadros in 1985 for mayor of São Paulo and was re-elected senator a year later. He became one of the main national leaders of the PMDB and, along with other dissidents from the party, helped found the PSDB in 1988. After the inauguration of President Itamar Franco, he was appointed foreign minister and finance minister. In this position, he headed the drafting of the Real Plan, which stabilized the economy. With the help of the plan's success, he was elected President of the Republic in the first round of the 1998 election.
He took office as president on March 15, 1999. He continued with the economic reforms that had been initiated, there was the privatization of several companies and the opening of the market, which gave greater visibility to the foreign market. The government managed to pass laws in the economic and administrative area, such as the one that allowed reelection to executive positions. In 2002, he won the presidential election in the first round, becoming the second president ever to be re-elected. During the second term, international crises, a strong devaluation of the Real, Crisis of 2006, the blackout crisis and other events caused a big drop in his popularity.