Figueiredo, João Baptista de Oliveiro (1918-1999)

Brazilian military leader, politician and president 1979-85. His election to presidential office was significant in that he endeavoured to bring about the greater liberalization of military governmental control and his rule effectively enabled the country to move closer to democratic control. His administration was faced with severe economic problems, high inflation, and poor wealth distribution.

The initiation of a program of economic measures to redistribute wealth was aimed specifically to assist those most affected by economic conditions - the poor, lower classes. He aligned salary increases to inflation, devalued the currency, and altered interest rates. In his quest for the greater democratization of politics, Figueiredo allowed the creation of new political parties early in his administration, which angered many on the extreme political right. In 1985, Brazil elected its first civilian president since the period of military rule commenced in 1964.

Figueiredo, a general and former head of the national intelligence service 1974, was selected by the military as a presidential candidate in the 1979 elections to succeed President Geisel.