# Carlos Luz

_19th President of Brazil (1894–1961)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/carlos-luz
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Carlos Coimbra da Luz (Portuguese: [ˈkaʁlus koˈĩbrɐ da ˈlus]; 4 August 1894 – 9 February 1961) was a Brazilian politician, lawyer, teacher and journalist who served as acting president of Brazil from November 8 to November 11, 1955. He is the shortest serving president of Brazil.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 4 August 1894 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Três Corações ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P19))
- **Died:** 9 February 1961 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P570))
- **Place of death:** Rio de Janeiro ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Brazil ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P106))
- **Political party:** Social Democratic Party (1945) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P102))
- **Education:** Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P69))
- **Spouse:** Graciema da Luz ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P26))
- **Positions held:** President of Brazil (9 November 1955 – 11 November 1955); federal deputy of Minas Gerais ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572#P39))

## About

After the political crisis following the Getúlio Vargas suicide in 1954, Carlos Luz was the second of three presidents who ruled Brazil in a brief period of 16 months. At the time of President Café Filho's alleged illness in 1955 he was the president of the Chamber of Deputies, and so the next in the line of succession to the presidency, since Filho had been the vice president under Vargas. Luz headed the government only three days in November 1955 and was replaced, as part of the 1955 Brazilian coup d'état, by the vice-president of the Senate Nereu Ramos on the orders of the Minister of Defence Henrique Teixeira Lott over his fear that Luz might support a plot to prevent President-elect Juscelino Kubitschek from taking office in January 1956. Luz was removed by Congress, under pressure by the military, declaring him unable to fulfill his duties.

Luz was married to his first wife, Maria José Dantas Luz, from 1920 until her death in 1924. They had two children together. Later, Luz remained married to Graciema da Luz until his death in Rio de Janeiro in February 1961.

## Questions

**When was Carlos Luz born?**  
Carlos Luz was born on 4 August 1894 in Três Corações.

**What positions has Carlos Luz held?**  
Positions held by Carlos Luz include: President of Brazil (1955–1955); federal deputy of Minas Gerais.

**Where did Carlos Luz study?**  
Carlos Luz was educated at Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

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- [Afonso Pena](https://diginpl.com/people/afonso-pena)
- [Magalhães Pinto](https://diginpl.com/people/magalhaes-pinto)
- [Aureliano Chaves](https://diginpl.com/people/aureliano-chaves)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Carlos Luz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Luz) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q269572](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269572) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: CarlosLuz.jpg by Governo do Brasil (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CarlosLuz.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Carlos Luz, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: CarlosLuz.jpg — Governo do Brasil, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Carlos Luz". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/carlos-luz. Retrieved 5 November 2026.