Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena

Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena graduated in 1870 from the Faculty of Law in São Paulo. In 1871 he received a doctoral degree. As a Liberal candidate, Pena was several times elected to the provincial legislature of Minas Gerais (1874-1878) and to the General Assembly of the Empire (1878-1889). On leave from the Chamber of Deputies, Pena held a number of ministerial offices in the last governments of the Empire (war minister 1882; minister for agriculture, commerce and public works 24 May 1883 - 6 Jun 1884; justice minister 6 May 1885 - 20 Aug 1885). As justice minister, he signed a law liberating all slaves over 60 years of age (1885). In 1888 Pena was created state councilor (conselheiro do estado) by Emperor Pedro II and became a member of the committee for drafting civil code. The proclamation of republic (15 Nov 1889) briefly interrupted his political career in Rio de Janeiro. Pena returned to his native state, where he was elected (1891) to the Constituent Assembly of Minas Gerais. Elected federal senator for Minas Gerais, Pena resigned his seat in November 1891 protesting against the dissolution of the National Congress by Deodoro da Fonseca. He was elected President of the State of Minas Gerais (14 Jul 1892 - 7 Sep 1894) and later was nominated president of the Bank of the Republic (1895-1898). In 1899 Pena assumed the office of director of the Free Faculty of Law. Again elected senator for Minas Gerais (1900-1903), Pena submitted his resignation to become Vice President of the Republic (elected 18 Feb 1903) as replacement for Francisco Silviano de Almeida Brandão, who died on 25 Sep 1902 before taking office. Pena joined the administration of Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves, whom he studied with in São Paulo, and assumed the vice presidency on 25 Jun 1903. When the term of Rodrigues Alves was about to end, Pena stood for election as his successor. Running with no major opponents, he was the first representative of Minas Gerais elected President of the Republic for the term 1906-1910. Pena initiated the intervention of state in coffee trade assigning the Bank of Brazil to act as a mediator between the competing states and foreign customers. Pena continued the efforts of his predecessor in modernization of railroads and sea ports. The construction of railroads and installation of telegraph lines helped connect remote areas with the country's most developed states (1907). A new wave of immigration from Europe contributed to increasing population of the states of São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná. The reform of the Brazilian Army supervised by war minister Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca resulted in introduction of obligatory military service (1908). Appointed again foreign minister José Maria da Silva Paranhos (Barão do Rio Branco) continued his diplomatic work on solving the border disputes with the neighboring countries, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Uruguay. In 1907 Rui Barbosa represented Brazil at the Hague Peace Conference and contributed to drafting the International Arbitration Law for resolving international conflicts. The issue of choosing a candidate to succeed Pena in 1910 triggered a public campaign against the intention of the military to install Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca as the next president. During this campaign, Pena suffered a sudden illness and died in office on 14 Jun 1909. [2][3]