Jose Sarney Costa born (April 24, 1930), in Pinheiro, Maranhão, served as president of the Federative Republic of Brazil from April 22, 1985 to March 15, 1990.
Jose Sarney became president after then president-elect, Tancredo Neves, was taken ill and died, on April 21, 1985, before assuming office. Brazil's problems at this time were three-fold: urbanpoverty, high inflation, and an enormous foreign debt.