Oswaldo Aranha

Oswaldo Aranha was a prominent Brazilian politician and diplomat who played a key role in the country's history and international relations. He began his career as a lawyer and member of the Chamber of Deputies, representing his home state of Rio Grande do Sul. He was one of the leaders of the 1930 Revolution that brought Getúlio Vargas to power, and served as his minister of justice, finance, and agriculture. He was also the ambassador of Brazil to the United States from 1934 to 1937, where he established close ties with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal policies. As the minister of foreign affairs from 1938 to 1944, Aranha was instrumental in aligning Brazil with the Allies in World War II, despite the initial pro-Axis sympathies of Vargas. He negotiated the lease of military bases in the northeast of Brazil to the US, and the participation of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force in the Italian campaign. He also promoted economic and social reforms, such as the creation of the National Economic Council, the regulation of labor unions, and the establishment of a minimum wage. ² Aranha is also known for his support for the creation of the State of Israel as the head of the Brazilian delegation to the UN and the president of the UN General Assembly in 1947. He presided over the historic vote on the partition plan for Palestine, and used his diplomatic skills to postpone the vote and secure a majority in favor of the resolution. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1948 for his efforts. Aranha returned to the ministry of finance in 1953, under Vargas' second presidency, and faced the challenge of stabilizing the economy amid inflation and political turmoil. He advocated for a moderate and gradual approach, balancing the interests of the workers and the entrepreneurs, and seeking foreign investment and trade. He resigned in 1954, after Vargas' suicide, and retired from public life. He died in 1960, at the age of 65, from a heart attack. ²