# Petrônio Portella

_Brazilian lawyer and politician_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/petronio-portella
Last updated: 2026-11-05

> Petrônio Portella Nunes was a Brazilian lawyer and politician who played a prominent role in fostering the political détente initiated by Presidents Ernesto Geisel and João Figueiredo. He was regarded as the "civilian leader of the dictatorship."

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 12 September 1925 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Valença do Piauí ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P19))
- **Died:** 6 January 1980 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P570))
- **Place of death:** Brasília ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Brazil ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P27))
- **Occupation:** lawyer; politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P106))
- **Political party:** National Renewal Alliance Party; National Democratic Union ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P102))
- **Education:** Federal University of Rio de Janeiro ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P69))
- **Positions held:** President of the Federal Senate of Brazil (15 March 1977 – 15 March 1979); President of the Federal Senate of Brazil (1971–1973); Mayor of Teresina (31 January 1959 – 31 January 1963); Piauí senator; Minister of Justice of Brazil; governor of Piauí; state deputy of Piauí ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859#P39))

## Questions

**When was Petrônio Portella born?**  
Petrônio Portella was born on 12 September 1925 in Valença do Piauí.

**What positions has Petrônio Portella held?**  
Positions held by Petrônio Portella include: President of the Federal Senate of Brazil (1977–1979); President of the Federal Senate of Brazil (1971–1973); Mayor of Teresina (1959–1963); Piauí senator; Minister of Justice of Brazil.

**Where did Petrônio Portella study?**  
Petrônio Portella was educated at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Petrônio Portella](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petr%C3%B4nio_Portella) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q9058859](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9058859) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Petrônio Portela Nunes, Presidente do Senado Federal..tif by Unknown Unknown (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Petr%C3%B4nio_Portela_Nunes,_Presidente_do_Senado_Federal..tif)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Petrônio Portella, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Petrônio Portela Nunes, Presidente do Senado Federal..tif — Unknown Unknown, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Petrônio Portella". DigiNepal. Last updated 5 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/petronio-portella. Retrieved 6 November 2026.