A member of a traditional family of politicians originating from Lages, Santa Catarina, Nereu de Oliveira Ramos was educated at the Faculty of Law in São Paulo. After his graduation (1909), he began his public career with election (1911) as Santa Catarina state deputy and later won reelection (1919). He was a founder and editor-in-chief of several newspapers. Ramos was chosen federal deputy (1930) as a candidate of the Liberal Alliance, but he lost his seat when the National Congress was dissolved (11 Nov 1930) during the Revolution of 1930. Ramos obtained the majority of votes in his state and took a seat in the Constituent Assembly (1933-1934). Elected governor of the State of Santa Catarina (1 May 1935 - 6 Nov 1945), Ramos was confirmed (25 Nov 1937) as "interventor" (governor appointed by the President of the Republic) after the installation of Estado Novo. With the fall of regime headed by Getúlio Dorneles Vargas (1945), Ramos became a founder of the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrático) in Santa Catarina, taking his seat in the Constituent Assembly as senator. Ramos was majority leader and chairman of the commission that drafted the Constitution. The Assembly elected Ramos Vice President of the Republic (19 Sep 1946 - 31 Jan 1951). As such he was President of the Federal Senate ex officio in accordance with the terms of the Constitution promulgated on 18 Sep 1946. In 1949 Ramos briefly exercised the duties of President Eurico Gaspar Dutra, who went on a state visit to the United States (17 May 1949 - 26 May 1949). After completing his term as vice president, Ramos was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, ultimately becoming its president (11 Mar 1951 - 2 Feb 1955). In 1954 Ramos was elected to the Senate, where he assumed the office of vice president (2 Feb 1955 - 11 Nov 1955). Ramos was called to exercise the functions of President of the Republic after the Chamber of Deputies and Senate recognized (11 Nov 1955) the existence of impediment to discharge of duties by President João Café Filho and President of the Chamber of Deputies Carlos Coimbra da Luz. This replacement was caused by demands of the military led by war minister Henrique Teixeira Lott, who were disturbed by the rumors that Café Filho and his supporters might try to prevent Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira from entering office on 31 Jan 1956. The caretaker government headed by Ramos operated during the state of emergency decreed on 25 Nov 1955 and later extended. On 31 Jan 1956, when Kubitschek assumed the presidency, Ramos was made justice minister (31 Jan 1956 - 4 Nov 1957) and also served as interim education minister (3 Oct 1956 - 4 Nov 1956), returning to the Senate in 1957. He died in a plane crash near Curitiba, Paraná (16 Jun 1958). [1] |
