Antônio Carlos Peixoto de Magalhães (4 September 1927 – 20 July 2007), also known by his initials ACM, was a Brazilian politician. He served as

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

three times and represented Bahia in the

Senate of Brazil The Federal Senate () is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. When created under the Imperial Constitution in 1824, it was based on the House of Lords of the British Parliament, but since the Proclamation of the Republic in ...

three times.AP via ''the Guardian'', "Ex-Brazil Politician Magalhaes, 79, Dies" July 20, 2007
/ref> Magalhães was one of Brazil's most powerful politicians serving as a Minister for Communications, as Leader of the Liberal Front Party (PFL) and as President of the Federal Senate.''New York Times'', "Antonio Carlos Magalhães, Brazil Politician, Dies at 79" July 21 2007
/ref>

Early life and career

Magalhães was born in 1927 in

Salvador, Bahia Salvador () is a Municipalities of Brazil, Brazilian municipality and capital city of the Federative units of Brazil, state of Bahia. Situated in the Zona da Mata in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of Brazil, Salvador is recognize ...

. His paternal grandparents were Portuguese. Magalhães went to medical school. His political career started at the age of 27 when he entered the Bahia state legislature. He was soon elected to the federal

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...

, where he served three terms. At first he was a protégé of

Juscelino Kubitschek Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira (; 12 September 1902 – 22 August 1976), also known by his initials JK, was a Brazilian politician who served as the 21st president of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. Kubitschek's government plan, dubbed "50 years i ...

, who was then the

President of Brazil The president of Brazil (), officially the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil () or simply the ''President of the Republic'', is the head of state and head of government of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the ...

Political power broker

Magalhães supported the military coup that overthrew President

João Goulart João Belchior Marques Goulart (; 1 March 1919 – 6 December 1976), commonly known as Jango, was a Brazilian politician who served as the president of Brazil from 1961 until a military coup d'état deposed him in 1964. He was considered the ...

. He was appointed Mayor of Salvador and then as the Governor of Bahia twice. He also served as the head of the government's electricity agency, which enabled him to dispense patronage nationally. Magalhães was also known for his harsh treatment of opponents of the regime and for his ability to make deals. This led to some of his opponents dubbing him "Toninho Malvadeza" (Little Tony Evilness).AP via the ''Los Angeles Times'', "Antonio Carlos Peixoto de Magalhaes, 79; influential politician in Brazil" 21 July 2007
/ref> In 1985, he switched allegiance to Tancredo Neves and helped José Sarney form the Liberal Front Party. Magalhães became the Minister for Communications in Sarney's Government allowing him to grant

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

licenses to friends and supporters. When accused of corruption, he once said "I have good and bad friends, but I only govern with the good ones." In 1991, he was elected as Governor of Bahia for the third time before being elected to the Senate in 1994. He became the

President of the Senate President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the Speaker (politics), speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's Order of succession, succes ...

in 1997. Magalhães also became the leader of the Liberal Front Party with the Social Democrat President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso relying on his support to pass legislation. This enabled Magalhães to have supporters placed in influential positions in the Government. Magalhães was forced to resign from the Senate in 2001 after being accused of looking at how fellow Senators voted on an impeachment issue. He was re-elected in 2002 and when in 2003

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (; born Luiz Inácio da Silva; 27 October 1945), known Mononym, mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist and former metalworker who has served as the 39th president of Brazil since 2023. A mem ...

of the left wing

Workers' Party Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...

was elected president, Magalhães claimed that he came from "the Workers’ Party wing of the Liberal Front Party" and was successful in having supporters appointed in Lula da Silva's administration. In January 2003, then Senator-elect Magalhães (PFL-BA) shook hands with

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...

as Castro was leaving a luncheon given in Brasília in Castro's honor.World News Connection. (3 January 2003) ''Brazil to Strengthen Ties With Cuba in Social Area.'' Later, on Castro's way to and from state visits to Africa, Castro would stop in

Salvador da Bahia Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...

and spend a couple of days sharing stories with Magalhães. Through this, right-winged Magalhães and

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

developed a friendship to the dismay of Castro's left-wing admirers in Brazil. Magalhães played an influential role in Brazilian politics until his death in 2007 from multiple organ failure. He is buried at the Campo Santo Cemetery in Salvador, along with many other noted figures of the city.

References

, - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Magalhaes, Antonio Carlos 1927 births 2007 deaths Brazilian people of Portuguese descent Federal University of Bahia alumni Politicians from Salvador, Bahia Presidents of the Federal Senate (Brazil) Governors of Bahia Government ministers of Brazil Magalhães family Mayors of Salvador, Bahia Democrats (Brazil) politicians Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Early life and career

Political power broker

See also

References