João Mangabeira

João Mangabeira (26 June 1880 – 27 April 1964) was a Brazilian jurist, politician and writer.

Biography

Brother of the medical doctor and poet Francisco Mangabeira, and also of the politician Otávio Mangabeira. He was admitted to law school at 13 years old. Despite belonging to a large family without large financial resources, he managed to complete his course at the age of 17. Then goes to advocate in Ilhéus, Bahia. According to Paulo Brossard, "when the annual session of the jury starts, went on trial a poor defendant without a lawyer. As defense lawyer the Judge designated João Mangabeira. He knew nothing about the process. Listening to the Judge's report, paid attention to everything: names, pages, details.

As soon as the Prosecutor concluded the indictment, the young defense lawyer, appointed minutes before, shatters the charge, pointing out contradictions, correcting names, indicating process pages that he do not handle at all.

The defendant was acquitted ... and, thereafter, the city begun to trust the lawyer who was no more than a child, and his office start to have clients."

Shortly after he became a congressman as State Deputy and then as Federal Deputy. Some circumstances made him close to Rui Barbosa, who would always follow. In 1923, when Rui died, he gave the speech in honor of the master. On the centenary of birth of Rui Barbosa (1949), João was the speaker of the House of Representatives.

In a short time he became one of the most prominent figures in the House of Representatives. Renowned as congressman and as a lawyer, he came to be among the highest expressions of the country's intelligence.

His political activity was marked defending the socialism. Deputy for the Constitutional Assembly of 1934, and the combat against the Estado Novo dictatorship (Vargas Era) put him 15 months in prison. "I'd rather get in jail by this dictatorship, than be free, agreeing with it," he said in 1936.

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