<!--João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo adalah anak Jenderal Euclides de Oliveira Figueiredo, yang hidup di pembuangan setelah berusaha menggulingkan pemerintahan diktatordiktatur pada [[1932]]. AfterSetelah studyingbelajar atdi militarysekolah schoolsmiliter ofdi [[Porto Alegre]] anddan Realengo, Figueiredo wasnaik promotedpangkat tomenjadi captainkapten ([[1944]]) anddan to majormayor ([[1952]]). HeIa servedbertugas indi themiliter BrazilianBrasil militaryyang missionditempatkan indi [[Paraguay]] ([[1955]]-[[1957]]) anddan workedbekerja foruntuk secretdinas servicerahasia ofdari theStaf ArmyUmum GeneralAngkatan StaffDarat ([[1959]]-[[1960]]). InPada [[1961]] heia wasdipindahkan transferredke toDewan theKeamanan National Security CouncilNasional. WhileKetika teachingmengajar atdi theSekolah ArmyStaf GeneralKomando StaffUmum CommandAngkatan CollegeDarat ([[1961]]-[[1964]]), Figueiredo wasnaik promotedpangkat tomenjadi colonelkolonel anddan appointeddiangkat themenjadi departmentkepala headdeparteman indi theDinas NationalInformasi Information ServiceNasional. InPada [[1966]] heia assumedbertugas thesebagai commandkomandan ofangkatan publicpertahanan defensemasyarakat force indi [[São Paulo]]. InPada [[1967]]-[[1969]] heia commandedmenjadi akomandan regimentdari insebuah resimen di [[Rio de Janeiro]] anddan wasdinaikkan promotedpangkatnya tomenjadi generaljenderal. WhenKetika GeneralJenderal [[Emílio Garrastazú Médici]] assumedmenjadi the presidencypresiden, Figueiredo was appointed head ofditunjuk themenjadi president'skepala militarystaf staffmiliter presiden([[30 OctoberOktober]] [[1969]] - [[15 MarchMaret]] [[1974]]).
InPada [[1974]] heia assumedmenjadi thepimpinan leadershipDinas ofInformasi the National Information ServiceNasional ([[15 MarchMaret]] [[1974]] - [[14 JuneJuni]] [[1978]]), asuatu Brazil'sbadan internalkeamanan securitydalam agencynegeri Brasil. PickedFigueiredo byyang Presidentdipilih oleh Presiden [[Ernesto Geisel]] assebagai potentialcalon successorpenggantinya, Figueiredo defeatedmengalahkan oppositioncalon candidateoposisi, GeneralJenderal Monteiro, anddan continuedmelanjutkan the gradualproses "abertura" (democratizationdemokratisasi) processsecara bertahap yang instituteddimulai inpada [[1974]]. AnSebuah amnestyundang-undang law,amnesti yang signedditandatangai byoleh Figueiredo onpada [[28 AugustAgustus]] [[1979]], amnestiedmemberikan thoseamnesti convictedkepada ofmereka "politicalyang orterbukti melakukan kejahatan related"politik crimesatau yang terkait" betweenantara [[1961]] anddan [[1978]]. InPada the earlyawal [[1980s1980-am]], therezim militarymiliter regimetidak coulddapat notsecara effectivelyefektif maintainmempertahankan thesistem two-partydua systempartai establishedyang inditetapkan pada [[1966]]. <!--The Figueiredo administration dissolved the government-controlled [[National Renewall Alliance Party|National Renewal Alliance Party]] (ARENA) and allowed new parties to be formed. In [[1981]] the Congress enacted a law on restoration of direct elections of state governors. The general election of [[1982]] brought victory to Arena's successor, pro-government PDS {Democratic Social Party} (43.22% of the vote), and to the opposition PMDB {Brazilian Democratic Movement Party} (42.96%).
The governorship of three major states, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and [[Minas Gerais]], was won by the opposition. However, the political developments were overshadowed by economic problems. As inflation and unemployment soared, the foreign debt reached massive proportions making Brazil the world's biggest debtor owing about US$90 billion to international lenders. The austerity program imposed by the government brought no signs of recovery for the Brazilian economy until the end of Figueiredo's term. The president was often incapacitated by illness and took two prolonged leaves for health treatment in [[1981]] and [[1983]], but the civilian vice president Antônio [[Aureliano Chaves]] de Mendonça did not enjoy major political power. The opposition vigorously struggled for passing a constitutional amendment to allow direct popular elections in November [[1984]], but the proposal failed to win passage in the Congress.
