born Jan. 25, 1917, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso, Braz.
died Feb. 16, 1992, São Paulo
President of Brazil (1961).
A colourful and eccentric populist, he campaigned with a broom to dramatize his pledge to "sweep out corruption." In his seven months as president, he banned bikini swimsuits and cockfights, reestablished relations with the Soviet Union, decorated Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. He attributed his sudden resignation to "terrible forces" conspiring against him. Stripped of political rights and exiled in 1968, he was granted amnesty in 1980 and returned to serve two terms as mayor of São Paulo.