Borges de Medeiros

Antônio Augusto Borges de Medeiros (19 November 1863 – 25 April 1961) was a Brazilian lawyer, judge, and politician. He served as Chief Judge and was appointed as the President of Rio Grande do Sul for a total of 25 years (1898–1908 and 1913–1928), during the period of Brazilian history known as the República Velha. He "inherited" the presidency from Júlio de Castilhos, the local dictator against whom the 1893 Federalist Revolution had been fought. Supporters of Borges de Medeiros were known as borgistas.

Medeiros was born in Caçapava do Sul. He completed his studies at the faculty of law in Sao Paulo in 1881. He transferred to the faculty of law of Recife in 1885 and graduated with a bachelor's degree. He also fought alongside the legalists in the Federalist Revolution and received the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1898, He was nominated as president of Rio Grande Do Sul and held the title for 10 years until he resigned in 1908. He returned to politics in 1913 and was re-elected as President of Rio Grande Do Sul and served for another 15 years until 1928, when he stepped down to nominate Getulio Vargas as his successor. He was a supporter and "mentor" of Getulio Vargas, though he only approved of the 1930 Revolution at the last moment. He slowly began to oppose him after, as he supported the Constitutionalist Revolution.

He was later granted amnesty in 1934, and ran inthat years' presidential election, but was defeated by President Getúlio Vargas, with 59 votes to 175. He died in Porto Alegre, on 25 April 1961, aged 97.