Afonso Pena

His Excellency Afonso Pena
6th President of Brazil
In office 15 November 1906 – 14 June 1909
Vice President	Nilo Peçanha
Preceded by	Rodrigues Alves
Succeeded by	Nilo Peçanha
4th Vice President of Brazil
In office 17 June 1903 – 15 November 1906
President	Rodrigues Alves
Preceded by	Rosa e Silva
Succeeded by	Nilo Peçanha
4th Governor of Minas Gerais
In office 14 July 1892 – 7 September 1894
Preceded by	Gama Cerqueira
Succeeded by	Bias Fortes
Minister of Justice
In office 6 May 1885 – 20 August 1885
Prime Minister	Councilor Saraiva
Preceded by	Sodré Pereira
Succeeded by	Ribeiro da Luz
Minister of Agriculture and Transport
In office 24 May 1883 – 6 June 1884
Prime Minister	Councilor Lafayette
Preceded by	Henrique d'Ávila
Succeeded by	Carneiro da Rocha
Minister of War
In office 1 March 1884 – 22 March 1884
Prime Minister	Councilor Lafayette
Preceded by	Antônio Joaquim
Succeeded by	Filipe Franco de Sá
In office 21 January 1882 – 3 July 1882
Prime Minister	Martinho Álvares
Preceded by	Franklin Dória
Succeeded by	Carlos Afonso
Minister of the Navy
In office 21 January 1882 – 28 January 1882
Prime Minister	Martinho Álvares
Preceded by	Viscount of Lima Duarte
Succeeded by	Bento de Paula Sousa
Personal details
Born	(1847-11-30)30 November 1847 Santa Bárbara, Minas Gerais Empire of Brazil
Died	Catete Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Political party	Conservative Party Minas Gerais Republican
Spouse(s)	Maria Guilhermina
Children	Twelve
Alma mater	University of São Paulo
Profession	Lawyer, politician

Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena (Portuguese: [aˈfõsu awˈɡustu moˈrejrɐ ˈpenɐ]; 30 November 1847 – 14 June 1909) was a Brazilian politician who served as President of Brazil between 1906 and 1909. Before his political career, Pena had been an attorney, legal scholar and member of the Brazilian Supreme Court. He was the first President to die in office.

Pena began his political career in 1874 with an election to the Imperial General Assembly. In the succeeding years, Pena reconciled legislative work with some periods occupying secretariats—secretary of Agriculture (1882), Commerce and Public Issues (1883) and Justice (1885). Pena then presided over the provincial assembly of Minas Gerais.

After the proclamation of the Republic, he was governor of Minas Gerais between 1892 and 1894. It was during his administration that Belo Horizonte was set for the future state capital (which at that time was Ouro Preto). He ran in the presidential election of 1894, but lost by a large margin to Prudente de Morais.

In 1902 Pena became Vice President to Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves. He was elected president in 1906 and served until his death in 1909, a few days after the passing of his son Álvaro Pena.

Afonso Pena was the first Brazilian president to advocate intervening in the coffee economy. The federal government started to buy production surplus, thus maintaining the high price of coffee in international markets. Pena also promoted the expansion of railroads.

The reorganization of the Brazilian army was done by Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca during the Pena administration. The president also supported Cândido Rondon's expeditions in the Amazon Rainforest.

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Painting of president Pena by Rodolfo Amoedo

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Statue of Afonso Pena in the hall of the UFMG School of Law, in Belo Horizonte, which he was one of the founders.

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Press criticizing the young personnel of Pena's ministry

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Political offices
Preceded by Eduardo Ernesto da Gama Cerqueira	Governor of Minas Gerais 1892–1894	Succeeded by Chrispim Jaques Bias Fortes
Preceded by Francisco de Assis Rosa e Silva	Vice President of Brazil 1903–1906	Succeeded by Nilo Peçanha
Preceded by Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves	President of Brazil 1906–1909