Fernando Henrique Cardoso Biography

Fernando Henrique Cardoso (Portuguese: [ferˈnɐ̃dʊ ẽˈhiki karˈdozʊ]; born June 18, 1931), also known by his initials FHC ([ɛfjaɡaˈse]), is a Brazilian sociologist, professor and politician who served as the 34th President of Brazil from January 1, 1995 to January 1, 2003. He was the first Brazilian president to be reelected for a subsequent term. An accomplished scholar noted for research on slavery and political theory, Cardoso has earned many honors including the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation (2000) and the Kluge Prize from the US Library of Congress (2012). As other Brazilian presidents, FHC's governments were rife with major corruptions scandals. The most consequential one involved the bribing of Congressmen to pass a constitutional amendment that secured FHC the right to seek a reelection, which he eventually won.