me states in January 1991

_#_Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

_#_Constitution: 5 October 1988

_#_Legal system: based on Latin codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congresso
Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Federal Senate (Senado
Federal) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos
Deputados)

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government--President Fernando
Affonso COLLOR de Mello (since 15 March 1990); Vice President
Itamar FRANCO (since 15 March 1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
National Reconstruction Party (PRN), Daniel TOURINHO, president;
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Orestes QUERCIA,
president;
Liberal Front Party (PFL), Hugo NAPOLEAO, president;
Workers' Party (PT), Luis Ignacio (Lula) da SILVA, president;
Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Luiz GONZAGA de Paiva Muniz, president;
Democratic Labor Party (PDT), Leonel BRIZOLA, president;
Democratic Social Party (PDS), Amaral NETTO, president;
Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Mario COVAS, president;
Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), Salomao MALINA, secretary general;
Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), Joao AMAZONAS, president;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Eduardo CAMPOS, president

_#_Suffrage: voluntary at age 16; compulsory between ages 18 and 70;
voluntary at age 70

_#_Elections:

President--last held 15 November 1989, with runoff on 17
December 1989 (next to be held November 1994);
results--Fernando COLLOR de Mello 53%, Luis Inacio da SILVA 47%;
note--first free, direct presidential election since 1960;

Senate--last held 3 October 1990 (next to be held November 1994);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(81 total as of 3 February 1991) PMDB 27, PFL 15, PSDB 10,
PTB 8, PDT 5, other 16;

Chamber of Deputies--last held 3 October 1990 (next to be held
November 1994);
results--PMDB 21%, PFL 17%, PDT 9%, PDS 8%, PRN 7.9%, PTB 7%, PT 7%,
other 23.1%;
seats--(503 total as of 3 February 1991) PMDB 108, PFL 87,
PDT 46, PDS 43, PRN 40, PTB 35, PT 35, other 109;

_#_Communists: about 30,000

_#_Other political or pressure groups: left wing of the Catholic
Church and labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party are