Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil)

Severino José Cavalcanti Ferreira (18 December 1930 – 15 July 2020) was a Brazilian politician, born in João Alfredo, Pernambuco. He was a member of the Progressive Party, despite having changed parties eight times in his career. He was the mayor of João Alfredo, a member of the Pernambuco State Assembly and a federal congressman.
In 2005, he ran for the presidency of Brazilian chamber of deputies, thinking that the official candidate of the Lula government, Luiz Eduardo Greenhalgh, would win. However, because of the internal crisis of the government at the time, Cavalcanti was able to take the post.On 21 September 2005, he resigned from his position as federal deputy, and his position as President of the House was taken over provisionally by the Vice-President of the House José Thomaz Nonô.In October 2008, Cavalcanti was elected as mayor of João Alfredo.

Paulino José Soares de Sousa, the Viscount of Uruguai (4 October 1808 – 15 July 1866), was a congressman, a senator, a State Councillor and a skilful diplomat.Born in Paris, he distinguished himself during the 1850s when, as Minister of Foreign Affairs for Brazil, he organized the Brazilian Diplomatic Corps and structured the entire Brazilian policy of intervention in the River Plate against Juan Manuel de Rosas from Argentina, and Manuel Oribe from Uruguay.
A cautious diplomat, he knew how to take advantage of favourable circumstances, excluding unilateral action by Brazil and acting only at the request of the constitutional governments in the region. Success also came from his part in Franco-English involvement. He took on the financial burden incurred by France in maintaining the government of Montevideo and in relation to England, took steps towards the abolition of the slave traffic, creating favourable conditions for involvement by Brazil and its allies. In Paris in 1855 he negotiated the issue of Brazilian borders with French Guiana, which resulted in the matter being finally resolved in 1900, by the Baron of Rio Branco.
The Viscount died in Rio de Janeiro, aged 58.