Juscelino Kubitschek

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His Excellency Juscelino Kubitschek
Official portrait, 1956
21st President of Brazil
In office 31 January 1956 – 31 January 1961
Vice President	João Goulart
Preceded by	Nereu Ramos (acting)
Succeeded by	Jânio Quadros
Further offices held Senator for Goiás In office 4 October 1961 – 8 June 1964 Preceded by Taciano Gomes de Melo Succeeded by João Abraão Sobrinho Governor of Minas Gerais In office 31 January 1951 – 31 March 1955 Vice Governor Clóvis Salgado Preceded by Milton Campos Succeeded by Clóvis Salgado Federal Deputy for Minas Gerais In office 5 February 1946 – 31 January 1951 Constituency Minas Gerais In office 2 May 1935 – 10 November 1937 Constituency Minas Gerais Mayor of Belo Horizonte In office 23 October 1940 – 30 October 1945 Nominated by Benedito Valadares Preceded by José de Araújo Succeeded by João Gusmán
Personal details
Born	(1902-09-12)12 September 1902 Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Died	22 August 1976(1976-08-22) (aged 73) Resende, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cause of death	Car accident
Resting place	JK Memorial
Political party	PP (1934–1937) PSD (1945–1965)
Spouse	Sarah Gomes de Lemos ​ ​ (m. 1931)​
Children	2, including Márcia
Parents	João César de Oliveira (father) Júlia Coelho Kubitschek (mother)
Alma mater	Federal University of Minas Gerais School of Medicine
Profession	Physician politician
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Minas Gerais
Branch/service	Public Force of Minas Gerais
Years of service	1931–1933 1937–1940
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Battles/wars	Constitutionalist Revolution
Juscelino Kubitschek's voice Juscelino Kubitschek greeting the Brazilian people after the installation of the federal government in Brasília (recorded 25 April 1960)

Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuseˈlinu kubiˈʃɛk(i) dʒi oliˈve(j)ɾɐ]; 12 September 1902 – 22 August 1976), also known by his initials JK, was a prominent Brazilian politician who served as the 21st president of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. Kubitschek's government plan, dubbed "50 years in 5", was centered on economic and social development. During his term the country experienced a period of notable economic growth and relative political stability. However, there was also a significant increase in external debt, inflation, income concentration and wage erosion. At the time, there was no re-election and, on 31 January 1961, he was succeeded by Jânio Quadros, supported by the UDN. Kubitschek is best known for the construction of Brazil's new capital: Brasília, which was inaugurated on 21 April 1960, replacing Rio de Janeiro.

Kubitschek was born in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, in 1902. His father, João César de Oliveira, died when he was only two years old. JK completed the humanities course at the Diamantina Seminary and moved to Belo Horizonte in 1920. In 1927, he graduated in medicine from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), and in 1930 he specialized in urology in Paris. In December 1931, he married Sarah Lemos, with whom he had a daughter, Márcia, in 1943. The couple also adopted Maria Estela in 1947. In 1931, Kubitschek joined the Public Force of Minas Gerais as a doctor. During this period, he served on the Constitutionalist Revolution and became friends with politician Benedito Valadares who, upon being appointed federal intervenor in 1933, appointed Kubitschek as his chief of staff. In 1934, Kubitschek was elected federal deputy, but his term was revoked during the Estado Novo coup. With the loss of his term, Kubitschek returned to medicine. In 1940, he was appointed mayor of Belo Horizonte by Valadares, remaining in this position until October 1945. At the end of the same year he was elected constituent deputy for the Social Democratic Party (PSD). In 1950, he defeated Bias Fortes in the PSD caucuses to choose the party's candidate for that year's gubernatorial election in Minas Gerais. In the election, he defeated his brother-in-law Gabriel Passos and was sworn in as governor on 31 January 1951. As governor, he created the Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais, and also prioritized road building and industrialization.

In October 1954, Kubitschek launched his candidacy for the 1955 presidential election, which was made official in February 1955. He presented a developmentalist speech and used "50 years in 5" as his campaign slogan. In an alliance formed by six parties, his running mate was João Goulart. On 3 October, he was elected president of Brazil with 35.6% of the votes. The opposition tried to annul the election on the grounds that Kubitschek had not obtained an absolute majority of votes. However, general Henrique Teixeira Lott triggered a military movement to ensure Kubitschek's inauguration. As president, Kubitschek was responsible for the construction of a new federal capital, Brasília, thus carrying out an old project to promote the development of Brazil's interior and the country's integration.

In 1961, Kubitschek was elected senator for Goiás and tried to make his candidacy for the 1965 presidential election viable. However, with the 1964 military coup, Kubitschek was accused by the military of corruption and being supported by the communists. As a result, his term was revoked and his political rights were suspended. From then on, Kubitschek began touring cities in the United States and Europe, in voluntary exile. In March 1967, he returned to Brazil and joined Carlos Lacerda and Goulart in organizing the Frente Ampla, in opposition to the military dictatorship. The Frente Ampla was extinguished by the military a year later, and Kubitschek went to prison for a short period. He intended to return to political life ten years after the suspension of his political rights. In October 1975, Kubitschek unsuccessfully ran for a seat at the Brazilian Academy of Letters. He occupied chair number 34 at the Minas Gerais Academy of Letters. Kubitschek died in a car accident on 22 August 1976. According to the forensic examination and official report at the time, the accident occurred as a result of a normal traffic fatality. The conclusion was contested by his family, who asked for the remains to be exhumed twenty years later, suspecting that Kubitschek had been the victim of a murder. The results of the examination confirmed the previous reports.