Américo Thomaz

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Américo Tomas
Minister for the Navy
In office September 6, 1944 – August 14, 1958
Prime Minister	António de Oliveira Salazar
Preceded by	Mesquita Guimarães
Succeeded by	Mendonça Dias
14th President of Portugal (6th since the 1926 coup d'état; 4th of the Estado Novo)
In office August 9, 1958 – April 25, 1974
Preceded by	Francisco Craveiro Lopes
Succeeded by	National Salvation Junta António de Spínola
Born	November 19, 1894(1894-11-19) Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	19 November 1987 (aged 93) Cascais, Portuguese Republic
Political party	National Union later renamed People's National Action
Spouse	Gertrudes Ribeiro da Costa, Mrs. Thomaz
Occupation	Naval officer (Rear Admiral)

Américo de Deus Rodrigues Tomás, GCC, GOA, GOSE (pronounced [ɐˈmɛɾiku dɨ ˈdeuʃ ʁuˈdɾigɨʃ tuˈmaʃ]), also spelled Américo Thomaz (November 19, 1894 - September 18, 1987). Portuguese admiral and politician. Minister of Navy in 1944. Elected president of the Republic in 1958 (in rigged elections), re-elected in 1965 and 1972 (by Parliament, whose elections were also rigged). During this time, Portugal was ruled by the authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar and the president of the republic had only a figurative role. Just once Tomás used his presidential prerogative: to dismiss Salazar when he became incapacitated by a severe stroke in September, 1968. Tomás appointed Marcello Caetano to replace Salazar as prime minister. He took a much more active role in the government after Caetano took power, and became the rallying point for hard-liners who thought that even Caetano's cosmetic reforms went too far.

When in April 25, 1974, the "Carnation Revolution" deposed Caetano, Tomás was also overthrown and sent to exile in Brazil until 1980, when he returned to Portugal.

The pompous style with which he was referred to by the compliant state media (His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic Rear-Admiral Américo de Deus Thomaz), as contrasted by the virtual powerlessness of his office under Salazar, made him a target of frequent jokes.

Preceded by Francisco Craveiro Lopes

President of Portugal 1958–1974

Succeeded by António de Spínola (first, as President of the National Salvation Junta, then President of Portugal)

v • d • e Presidents of Portugal First Republic Manuel de Arriaga · Teófilo Braga · Bernardino Machado · Sidónio Pais · Canto e Castro · António José de Almeida · Teixeira Gomes · Bernardino Machado Second Republic Mendes Cabeçadas · Gomes da Costa · Óscar Carmona · Oliveira Salazar · Craveiro Lopes · Américo Thomaz Third Republic National Salvation Junta · António de Spínola · Costa Gomes · Ramalho Eanes · Mário Soares · Jorge Sampaio · Cavaco Silva

Persondata
NAME	Thomaz, Américo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Rodrigues Thomaz, Américo de Deus (full name); Tomás, Américo (alternative spelling); Tomaz, Américo (alternative spelling), Rodrigues Tomás, Américo de Deus (alternative spelling full name); Rodrigues Tomaz, Américo de Deus (alternative spelling full name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION	President of Portugal
DATE OF BIRTH	November 19, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH	Lisbon, Portugal
DATE OF DEATH	September 18, 1987
PLACE OF DEATH	Cascais, Portugal