Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena
Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena (
Santa Bárbara,
November 30,
1847 –
Rio de Janeiro,
June 14,
1909) was a
Brazilian
politician,
president between
1906 and
1909. Before his political career, Pena was a lawyer, jurist and member of the Brazilian
Supreme Court.
He began his political career in
1874 with an election to Congress. In the succeeding years, Pena reconciled legislative work with some periods occupying federal secretariats — secretary of Agriculture (
1882), Commerce and Public Issues (
1883) and Justice (
1885). Pena then presided over the legislative assembly of the state of Minas Gerais.
He was governor of
Minas Gerais between
1892 and
1894. It was during his administration that
Belo Horizonte was set for future state capital (which at that time was
Ouro Preto).
In
1902 Pena became vice-president to
Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves. He was elected president in
1906 and served until his death in
1909, a few days after the passing of his son Álvaro Pena.
Afonso Pena was the first Brazilian president to advocate intervening in the
coffee economy. The federal government started to buy production surplus, thus maintaining the high price of coffee in international markets. Pena also promoted the expansion of
railroads.
The reorganization of the Brazilian army was done by
Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca during the Pena administration. The president also supported
Cândido Rondon's expeditions in the
Amazon Rainforest.
