Editing José Sarney (section)

==Political career==
===Early activities===
Sarney started his political career in the 1950s after becoming a replacement deputy and later as a federal deputy in 1955.<ref name=bio/><ref name="security">{{Cite web |title=President Jose Sarney - 1985-1990 |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/brazil/president-sarney.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604000213/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/brazil/president-sarney.htm |archive-date=2017-06-04 |access-date=2021-07-17 |website=[[GlobalSecurity.org]]}}</ref> He was a member of the centre-right [[National Democratic Union (Brazil)|National Democratic Union]] (União Democrática Nacional—UDN), aligned with the progressive wing of the party.<ref name=security/> He strongly supported so-called "Revolution of 1964", a military coup that overthrew leftist President [[João Goulart]] in 1964.<ref name=security/><ref name=bio/> After the military coup, Sarney followed most of the UDN into the [[National Renewal Alliance Party|National Renewal Alliance]] (ARENA), the political party of the military government.<ref name="sarney">{{cite web |title=Sarney's Presidency, 1985-90 |url=http://countrystudies.us/brazil/95.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927160619/https://countrystudies.us/brazil/95.htm |archive-date=2006-09-27 |accessdate=2021-07-17 |publisher=[[Federal Research Division]] |via=countrystudies.us}}</ref> He was elected governor of the state of [[Maranhão]] in 1966, serving until 1971.<ref name=sarney/> He was then elected to the [[Brazilian Senate]] and became ARENA's president.<ref name=sarney/>

===Vice presidency===
Despite his support for the government's heavy-handed measures against dissent, Sarney had never been quite accepted by the military establishment, which tried to block his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kellogg.nd.edu/sites/default/files/old_files/documents/100_0.pdf|title=DEMOCRACY IN BRAZIL: ORIGINS, PROBLEMS, PROSPECTS|publisher=Kellogg|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> In 1979 ARENA reorganized as the [[Democratic Social Party]] (PDS), and Sarney remained the party's president.<ref name=JSTOR>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41799827|publisher=Jstor|jstor=41799827|accessdate=17 July 2021|title=The Military Ministers and Political Change in Post-Authoritarian Brazil|last1=Zirker|first1=Daniel|journal=Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies / Revue Canadienne des Études Latino-Américaines et Caraïbes|year=1993|volume=18|issue=35|pages=87–110|doi=10.1080/08263663.1993.10816691}}</ref> In 1984, the junta was under pressure due to popular protests to reinstate direct elections for president ([[Diretas Já]] movement).<ref name=JSTOR/> PDS was divided but launched [[Paulo Maluf]] as its candidate for the presidency in indirect elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20171221-veteran-brazilian-politician-jailed-corruption|title=Veteran Brazilian politician jailed for corruption|date=21 December 2017 |publisher=France24|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref>

Sarney disagreed with this decision and left PDS to form the [[Democrats (Brazil)|Liberal Front Party]], which then allied with the PMDB.<ref name=LAtimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-10-09-mn-8608-story.html|title=Sarney Seeking New Political Allies in Brazil|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=9 October 1987|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> As part of the deal, Sarney became [[Tancredo Neves]]' running mate on the opposition ticket.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news |last=Onis |first=Juan de |date=1985-05-10 |title=President by Chance, Sarney of Brazil Is 'Agitator Who Makes Things Happen' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-10-mn-18139-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717075213/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-10-mn-18139-story.html |archive-date=2021-07-17 |access-date=2021-07-17 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |location=[[Brasília]]}}</ref> Neves won the [[1985 Brazilian presidential election|election of 15 January 1985]], but became gravely ill the night before his inauguration.<ref name=NYT/> Sarney assumed office as vice-president and acting president until Neves died on 21 April, and he formally became the first civilian president in 21 years.<ref name=NYT/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/04/22/Jose-Sarney-was-sworn-in-as-Brazils-first-civilian/6243482994000/|title=Jose Sarney was sworn in as Brazil's first civilian president|publisher=UPI|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref>

===Presidency===
{{Main articles|Presidency of Sarney}}
His succession raised some question because as Neves could not attend the inauguration ceremony on 15 March, several politicians contended at the time that Sarney should not have been inaugurated as vice-president and allowed to become acting president.<ref name=NYT/> They believed that Sarney had been elected vice-president only by virtue of the election of his running mate as president.<ref name=NYT/><ref name=issue/> Each member of the Electoral College cast one vote, for president, and the choice of president carried with it the automatic selection of the ticket's running mate as vice-president, Sarney could take office only as vice-president together with Neves.<ref name=NYT/><ref name=issue>{{cite web|url=https://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/cruzado.htm|title=José Sarney, Hyperinflation and The Cruzado Plan in Brazil in the Late 1980s|publisher=SJSU|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> Some critics argued that in the event of the head of the presidential ticket not being able to assume office, the presidential powers and duties should pass to the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, [[Ulysses Guimarães]].<ref name=security/><ref name=issue/>
[[File:Posse Presidente da República 1985 (16132011570).jpg|thumb|left|Sarney takes the [[oath of office]] as Vice President of Brazil on 15 March 1985, immediately becoming Acting President]]
[[File:President Ronald Reagan with soccer player Pele and President José Sarney of Brazil.jpg|thumb|right|President Sarney with U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Pelé]] during a state dinner at the [[White House]], 1986]]
There was some partisanship in this line of thought since both Neves and Guimarães were members of the same party, and Sarney was not.<ref name=security/> He had been a supporter of the military, and only recently had joined the coalition to defeat the military's candidate in the electoral college.<ref name=security/> The challenge to Sarney's inauguration was short-lived, however, because in the early hours of inauguration day, Guimarães himself stated that he believed that Sarney had the right to be inaugurated even without Neves, as the role of the vice-president was precisely that of replacing the president when needed.<ref name=issue/>

Sarney and the president of [[Argentina]], [[Raúl Alfonsín]], started the process of creating a [[common market]] between the two nations in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.infobae.com/sociedad/2021/03/30/el-dia-que-raul-alfonsin-y-jose-sarney-intentaron-romper-la-rivalidad-entre-argentina-y-brasil-y-plantaron-la-semilla-del-mercosur/|title=El día que Raúl Alfonsín y José Sarney intentaron romper la rivalidad entre Argentina y Brasil y plantaron la semilla del Mercosur|date=30 March 2021 |publisher=Infobae|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> As first steps, they agreed to subsidize regional trade with a special currency for the purpose (the [[Gaucho (currency)|Gaucho]]).<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40241255|title=The World-System and the Destruction of the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest|publisher=JSTOR|jstor=40241255|accessdate=17 July 2021|last1=Barbosa|first1=Luiz C.|journal=Review (Fernand Braudel Center)|year=1993|volume=16|issue=2|pages=215–240}}</ref> The agreement led to the formation of the [[Mercosur]] in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/in-depth-30-years-ago-mercosurs-creation-put-an-end-to-the-historic-tensions-between-brazil-and-argentina/|title=In-depth: 30 years ago, Mercosur's creation put an end to the historic tensions between Brazil and Argentina|date=21 March 2021 |publisher=Rio Times Online|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> He also oversaw constitutional amendments that purged the remaining vestiges of authoritarianism from the 1967/1969 Constitution.<ref name="broils">{{Cite news |last=Graham |first=Bradley |date=2023-12-29 |title=Sarney's tenure embroils brazilian politics |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/03/17/sarneys-tenure-embroils-brazilian-politics/34933ee5-fc17-4936-bf90-e7d9d85cecf9/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616154607/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/03/17/sarneys-tenure-embroils-brazilian-politics/34933ee5-fc17-4936-bf90-e7d9d85cecf9/ |archive-date=2024-06-16 |access-date=2021-07-17 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |location=[[Brasília]] |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

Sarney faced many problems: enormous [[foreign debt]], rampant inflation and corruption as well as the transition to democracy.<ref name=broils/><ref name=bio/> During his presidency, the country had a 934% inflation rate and was overshadowed with union strikes and corruption scandals.<ref name=bio/> Sarney launched an economic plan to stabilize the economy, called "Plano Cruzado", successful at first.<ref name=SPC>{{cite web|url=http://www.fgv.br/cpdoc/acervo/dicionarios/verbete-tematico/plano-cruzado|title=PLANO CRUZADO|accessdate=17 July 2021|publisher=FGV}}</ref> The inflation worsened however under Sarney's Plano Cruzado.<ref name=SPC/> A new, fully democratic constitution was promulgated in 1988, and in the following year, [[1989 Brazilian presidential election|the first direct elections since 1960]] were held.<ref name=broils/><ref name=bio/> Sarney was barred from running for president in his own right in that election.<ref name=broils/> In Brazil, whenever the vice president ascends as president, it counts as a full term. At the time, Brazilian presidents were barred from immediate re-election.

===Post-presidency===
[[File:Entrevistas Diversas - 49652165431 (cropped).jpg|thumb|180px|right|Sarney in March 2020]]
Sarney supported [[Fernando Henrique Cardoso]] as presidential candidate in 1994 and 1998 and [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiab/governo-fernando-henrique-cardoso.htm|title=Governo Fernando Henrique Cardoso|publisher=Brasilescola|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2021/05/lula-tem-encontro-com-sarney-apos-bolsonaro-tentar-se-aproximar-de-emedebista.shtml|title=Lula tem encontro com Sarney após Bolsonaro tentar se aproximar de emedebista|date=6 May 2021 |publisher=Folha|language=Portuguese|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> He returned to the Senate after his presidency, this time representing [[Amapá]], and served as President of the Senate from 1995 to 1997, 2003 to 2005, 2009 to 2011, and 2011 to 2013.<ref name=SenadoFederal>{{cite web|url=http://www.senado.gov.br/senadores/presidentes/nova_republica.shtm|title=Presidentes do Senado Federal - Nova República|date=22 January 2013|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> He retired from politics in 2015 and was the longest-serving member of the [[Brazilian Congress]] at the time of his retirement.<ref name="NYTdecline">{{Cite news |last=Romero |first=Simon |date=2014-12-26 |title=Decline of a Political Family Opens the Way for a Shift in Brazil |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/26/world/decline-of-a-political-family-opens-the-way-for-a-shift-in-brazil.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226133959/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/26/world/decline-of-a-political-family-opens-the-way-for-a-shift-in-brazil.html |archive-date=2014-12-26 |access-date=2021-07-17 |work=[[The New York Times]] |location=São Luís |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> His retirement was noted by ''[[The New York Times]]'' as a "decline of a political dynasty" which would cause a political shift in the country.<ref name=NYTdecline/> All told, he spent all but 23 months in elected office from his first election as deputy in 1955 until his retirement from the Senate in 2015.

Sarney is regarded as the foremost of Brazil's [[Oligarchy|oligarchs]].<ref name=NYTdecline/> Sarney owns the most important newspapers and television stations in Maranhão.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2014/01/11/how-brazils-poorest-state-minted-one-of-the-countrys-richest-and-most-controversial-political-clans/?sh=5064303774ba|title=How Brazil's Poorest State Minted One Of The Country's Richest -- And Most Controversial -- Political Clans|work=Forbes|date=11 June 2014|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> Sarney has also faced multiple allegations of [[nepotism]] and corruption in his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/09701a21fefdd71be6088418b5993384|title=Ph.D. Thesis Uncovers Widespread Nepotism in Brazil's Congress|publisher=AP|accessdate=17 July 2021|date=15 March 1989}}</ref> In 2009, the British weekly ''[[The Economist]]'' called his election as [[President of the Senate of Brazil|President of the Senate]] "a victory for semi-[[feudalism]]" and "a throwback to an era of semi-feudal politics that still prevails in corners of Brazil and holds the rest of it back."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.economist.com/node/13062220?story_id=13062220|title=Where dinosaurs still roam|publisher=[[The Economist]]|date=5 February 2009|accessdate=17 July 2021}}</ref> ''[[Veja (magazine)|Veja]]'' columnist Roberto Pompeu de Toledo deemed him "the perfect [[oligarchy|oligarch]]".<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Veja (magazine)|Veja]]|url=http://veja.abril.com.br/080409/pompeu.shtml|title=O oligarca perfeito|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615200019/http://veja.abril.com.br/080409/pompeu.shtml |archive-date=15 June 2011 }}</ref>

Sérgio Machado, former president of [[Transpetro]], said in his plea agreement within the [[Operation Car Wash]] that Sarney received R$18.5 million of the bribe money from a [[Petrobras]] subsidiary, in the PMDB account during the period in which he directed the company (2003–2015).<ref>{{Cite web| url =http://exame.abril.com.br/brasil/noticias/sergio-machado-relata-repasse-de-r-18-5-milhoes-a-sarney| title=Sérgio Machado relata repasse de R$ 18,5 milhões a Sarney |language=pt|publisher=Revista Exame|access-date= 15 June 2016}}</ref>

===Electoral history===
{{Compact election box no change begin}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = 2006 Brazilian Senate election in Amapá

 | electorate 	              = 360,614
 | turnout_votes              = 298,309
 | turnout_percent            = 82.72
 | majority_votes             = 29,108
 
 | result                     = hold
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
 | winner_votes               = 152,486
 | winner_percent             = 53.87
 
 | candidate2                 = Cristina Almeida
 | candidate2_party           = Brazilian Socialist Party
 | candidate2_votes           = 123,378
 | candidate2_percent         = 43.59
 
 | candidate3                 = Celisa Penna
 | candidate3_party           = Socialism and Liberty Party
 | candidate3_votes           = 3,608
 | candidate3_percent         = 1.27
 
 | candidate4                 = Juraci Freitas
 | candidate4_party           = Brazilian Social Democracy Party
 | candidate4_votes           = 1,360
 | candidate4_percent         = 0.48
 
 | candidate5                 = Liduína Bastos
 | candidate5_party           = United Socialist Workers' Party
 | candidate5_votes           = 1,150
 | candidate5_percent         = 0.41
 
 | candidate6                 = Cosmo Silva
 | candidate6_party           = Progressive Republican Party (Brazil)
 | candidate6_votes           = 753
 | candidate6_percent         = 0.27
}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = 1998 Brazilian Senate election in Amapá

 | electorate 	              = 213,289
 | turnout_votes              = 184,348
 | turnout_percent            = 86.43
 | majority_votes             = 44,429
 
 | result                     = hold
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
 | winner_votes               = 97,446
 | winner_percent             = 59.31
 
 | candidate2                 = Ildegardo Gomes
 | candidate2_party           = Popular Socialist Party (Brazil)
 | candidate2_votes           = 53,037
 | candidate2_percent         = 32.28
 
 | candidate3                 = José Soares da Silva
 | candidate3_party           = Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)
 | candidate3_votes           = 6,119
 | candidate3_percent         = 3.73
 
 | candidate4                 = Walter Cunha da Silva
 | candidate4_party           = Social Christian Party (Brazil)
 | candidate4_votes           = 4,471
 | candidate4_percent         = 2.72
 
 | candidate5                 = Vanda Cherfen de Souza
 | candidate5_party           = Labour Party of Brazil
 | candidate5_votes           = 3,228
 | candidate5_percent         = 1.96
}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = 1990 Brazilian Senate election in Amapá
 | election_note              = Three candidates elected

 | electorate 	              = 135,939
 | turnout_votes              = 105,937
 | turnout_percent            = 77.93
 | majority_votes             = 25,767
 
 | result                     = 
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
 | winner_votes               = 53,004
 | winner_percent             = 24.55
 
 | candidate2                 = [[Henrique do Rego Almeida|Henrique Almeida]]
 | candidate2_party           = Liberal Front Party
 | candidate2_votes           = 27,237
 | candidate2_percent         = 12.62
 
 | candidate3                 = Jonas Borges
 | candidate3_party           = Brazilian Labour Party (1981)
 | candidate3_votes           = 26,016
 | candidate3_percent         = 12.05
 
 | candidate4                 = Geovani Borges
 | candidate4_party           = Social Christian Party (Brazil)
 | candidate4_votes           = 21,376
 | candidate4_percent         = 9.90
 
 | candidate5                 = Wagner Gomes
 | candidate5_party           = Workers' Party (Brazil)
 | candidate5_votes           = 17,199
 | candidate5_percent         = 7.97
 
 | candidate6                 = Edson Correia
 | candidate6_party           = Liberal Party (Brazil, 1985)
 | candidate6_votes           = 16,369
 | candidate6_percent         = 7.58
 
 | candidate7                 = Raquel Capiberibe
 | candidate7_party           = Brazilian Socialist Party
 | candidate7_votes           = 15,993
 | candidate7_percent         = 7.41
 
 | candidate8                 = Heraldo Araújo
 | candidate8_party           = Brazilian Social Democracy Party
 | candidate8_votes           = 6,564
 | candidate8_percent         = 3.04
 
 | candidate9                 = Cláudio Nunes
 | candidate9_party           = Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)
 | candidate9_votes           = 5,787
 | candidate9_percent         = 2.68
 
 | candidate10                = Clark Platon
 | candidate10_party          = Brazilian Labour Party (1981)
 | candidate10_votes          = 5,648
 | candidate10_percent        = 2.62
 
 | candidate11                = Carmem Maia
 | candidate11_party          = Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)
 | candidate11_votes          = 2,302
 | candidate11_percent        = 2.46
 
 | candidate12                = Maria Vitória Chagas
 | candidate12_party          = Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)
 | candidate12_votes          = 3,675
 | candidate12_percent        = 1.70
 
 | candidate13                = Antônio Pedreira
 | candidate13_party          = Labour Party of Brazil
 | candidate13_votes          = 3,432
 | candidate13_percent        = 1.59
 
 | candidate14                = Amaury Farias
 | candidate14_party          = Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
 | candidate14_votes          = 3,181
 | candidate14_percent        = 1.47
 
 | candidate15                = Nelson Souza
 | candidate15_party          = Progressive Republican Party (Brazil)
 | candidate15_votes          = 2,017
 | candidate15_percent        = 0.93
 
 | candidate16                = Marlúcio Serrano
 | candidate16_party          = Party of National Mobilization
 | candidate16_votes          = 1,810
 | candidate16_percent        = 0.84
 
 | candidate17                = Milton Pauletto
 | candidate17_party          = Democratic Social Party
 | candidate17_votes          = 1,274
 | candidate17_percent        = 0.59
}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = [[1985 Brazilian presidential election|1985 Brazilian vice presidential election]]
 | election_note              = Electoral college

 | electorate 	              = 686
 | turnout_votes              = 686
 | turnout_percent            = 100
 | majority_votes             = 300
 
 | result                     = 
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
 | winner_votes               = 480
 | winner_percent             = 72.73
 
 | candidate2                 = Flávio Marcílio
 | candidate2_party           = Democratic Social Party
 | candidate2_votes           = 180
 | candidate2_percent         = 27.27
}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = 1978 Brazilian Senate election in Maranhão

 | electorate 	              = 1,077,915
 | turnout_votes              = 758,306
 | turnout_percent            = 70.35
 | majority_votes             = 247,761
 
 | result                     = hold
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = National Renewal Alliance
 | winner_votes               = 409,633
 | winner_percent             = 64.16
 
 | candidate2                 = Mário Ribeiro
 | candidate2_party           = Brazilian Democratic Movement
 | candidate2_votes           = 161,872
 | candidate2_percent         = 25.36
 
 | candidate3                 = Américo de Souza
 | candidate3_party           = National Renewal Alliance
 | candidate3_votes           = 66,897
 | candidate3_percent         = 10.48
}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = 1970 Brazilian Senate election in Maranhão
 | election_note              = Two candidates elected

 | electorate 	              = 470,731
 | turnout_votes              = 351,850
 | turnout_percent            = 74.75
 | majority_votes             = 52,628
 
 | result                     = hold
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = National Renewal Alliance
 | winner_votes               = 236,618
 | winner_percent             = 42.35
 
 | candidate2                 = Alexandre Costa
 | candidate2_party           = National Renewal Alliance
 | candidate2_votes           = 183,990
 | candidate2_percent         = 32.93
 
 | candidate3                 = [[Epitácio Cafeteira]]
 | candidate3_party           = Brazilian Democratic Movement
 | candidate3_votes           = 138,111
 | candidate3_percent         = 24.72
}}
{{Compact election box no change
 | election_title             = 1965 Maranhão gubernatorial election

 | electorate 	              = 401,153
 | turnout_votes              = 247,156
 | turnout_percent            = 61.61
 | majority_votes             = 52,502
 
 | result                     = 
 | loser_party                = 

 | winner                     = José Sarney
 | winner_party               = National Democratic Union (Brazil)
 | winner_votes               = 121,062
 | winner_percent             = 53.63
 
 | candidate2                 = Costa Rodrigues
 | candidate2_party           = Christian Democratic Party (Brazil)
 | candidate2_votes           = 68,560
 | candidate2_percent         = 30.37
 
 | candidate3                 = [[Renato Archer]]
 | candidate3_party           = Brazilian Labour Party (1945)
 | candidate3_votes           = 36,103
 | candidate3_percent         = 15.99
}}
{{Compact election box no change end}}