The Collor Impeachment and Presidential Government in Brazil

Abstract

In the fall of 1992, Fernando Collor de Melo, the first popularly elected president in Brazil after twenty-nine years of military rule, was impeached by the Chamber of Deputies and he was deprived of his political rights (cassado) by the Senate. At the time, the prospects for Brazilian democracy seemed dim. Later developments showed otherwise, however. Subsequent presidencies have managed to achieve a far from trivial record of social and economic improvements carried out in a political context of broad freedom of the press and association, and expanding electoral and social participation, in particular.

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I would like to thank Fernando Limongi, José Antônio Cheibub, and Marcus Figueiredo for their comments on an earlier version of this chapter, and Mariana Llanos and Leiv Marsteintredet, who helped to improve this chapter above and beyond their duties as editors. Responsibility for any shortcomings is mine, of course.