Washington Luís

Washington Luís (born Oct. 26, 1869, Macaé, Braz.—died Aug. 4, 1957, São Paulo) was the president of Brazil (1926–30) who was unable to strengthen his country’s debilitated economy on the eve of the Great Depression.

Reared in the state of São Paulo and identified with it as a career politician for more than 30 years, Luís held numerous public offices, including those of mayor of São Paulo and of state governor (1920–24). After being elected president of Brazil on Nov. 15, 1926, he initiated a vast highway construction program, but he was greatly hampered by an enormous foreign debt and the collapse of the coffee market. Attempts were made to limit the production of coffee, but with the coming of the world economic decline in 1929, Brazil was left with huge and unsellable reserves. Near the end of his term he made the flagrant political mistake of attempting to ensure the election of another São Paulo politician as his successor. His candidate, Júlio Prestes, won in a controlled election in 1930; but the supporters of the opposition candidate, Getúlio Vargas, organized a successful coup d’état and deposed Luís on Oct. 24, 1930, just before he was to complete his term. The last president of the “old” republic, he left for exile in Europe, returning to Brazil only in 1946.