Emílio Garrastazu Médici (Portuguese pronunciation: [eˈmilju ɡɐʁastaˈzu ˈmɛd(ʒi)si]; 4 December 1905 – 9 October 1985) was a Brazilian military leader and politician who was the 28th president of Brazil from 1969 to 1974.

[1][2] His administration also saw the completion of development projects such as the National Integration Plan (PIN), which enabled the construction of the Trans-Amazonian Highway and the Rio-Niterói Bridge, among other initiatives.

During Médici's presidency, the military dictatorship reached its peak, with strict control over the limited political activities allowed.

In 1969 he became commander of the Third Army and was chosen to become President of Brazil by the Brazilian Military Junta of 1969, succeeding Costa e Silva, who had suffered a stroke.

Médici was the only candidate, though since the legislature was dominated by the pro-military National Renewal Alliance Party (ARENA), his election would have been a foregone conclusion in any case.

In 1971 Médici presented the First National Development Plan aimed at increasing the rate of economic growth especially in the remote Northeast and Amazon basin.

[citation needed] During the Brazilian Miracle, the economy grew rapidly at a rate of 10% per year and inflation was kept relatively low in comparison to the stratospheric levels during the governments before the implementation of the military regime.

In the 1980s, the Catholic vicariate of São Paulo and Protestant ministers obtained thousands of classified documents that detailed the use of torture during Médici's term.

[10] In 1971, President Richard Nixon and Médici discussed coordinating their efforts to overthrow Cuba's Fidel Castro and Chile's Salvador Allende.

[11] National security advisor Henry Kissinger's account of the 9 December 1971, White House visit by Médici was written "for the president's file" and classified Top Secret.

For his part, Médici noted that Peru was trying to persuade the OAS to consider readmitting Cuba and asked Nixon how they should cooperate to oppose the move.

Upon leaving the presidency, Médici retired from public life, aside from declaring himself against the political amnesty enacted in August 1979 during the administration of João Figueiredo.