Filinto Müller

Filinto Strubing Müller (11 July 1900 – 11 July 1973) was a Brazilian politician who served as President of the Senate for the state of Mato Grosso. He was also Chief of Police of the then Federal District during much of the government of Getúlio Vargas. He was killed in the crash of Varig Flight 820 on July 11, 1973, on his 73rd birthday.

Filinto Müller
Müller in 1943
President of the Federal Senate
In office
29 February 1973 – 11 July 1973
Preceded byPetrônio Portela
Succeeded byPaulo Torres
Vice President of the Federal Senate
In office
2 February 1959 – 11 March 1961
Preceded byApolônio Sales
Succeeded byMoura Andrade
Senator for Mato Grosso
In office
3 February 1955 – 11 July 1973
Preceded byVespasiano Martins
Succeeded byItalívio Coelho
In office
18 March 1947 – 15 March 1951
Preceded byJoão Vilas Boas
Succeeded bySílvio Curvo
Personal details
Born11 July 1900
Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Died11 July 1973 (aged 73)
Orly, Paris, France
Political partyPSD (1945–1965)
ARENA (1965–1973)
Spouse
Consuelo Lastra
​
(m. 1926)​
Children2
Parents
  • Júlio Frederico Müller (father)
  • Rita Teófila Correia da Costa (mother)
Alma materMilitary School of Realengo
Faculty of Law of Niterói
Military service
AllegianceTenentists
Brazil
Branch/serviceBrazilian Army
Military Police of the Federal District
Years of service1919–1946
RankLieutenant colonel
Battles/wars
Constitutionalist Revolution
Offices
  • Inspector of the Civil Guard of the Federal District
  • Chief of Police of the Federal District
  • Staff Officer of the Minister of War

Early career
Filinto Müller (far left) with Getúlio Vargas in 1938

Müller joined the Brazilian Army at age 19, eventually becoming an officer who participated in the Tenente revolts. He was a close collaborator of Vargas since his rise to power in the Brazilian Revolution of 1930, which led to him being installed as the Chief of Police of the original Federal District in Rio de Janeiro. This gave him authority over all civilian police forces in Brazil.[1]

Before and during World War II, he was sympathetic to Nazi Germany, personally encouraging close cooperation between the Gestapo and Brazilian law enforcement.[2] Müller strongly opposed allowing Jewish refugees to enter Brazil prior to WWII[3] and used police resources to monitor the activities of the Jewish Colonisation Association in the country.[4]

Also, he was one of the architects of the Estado Novo, which was characterized by the usage of large-scale torture (it is reported that sometimes he personally participated in torture sessions) and summary executions against political opponents (mostly communists). He was dismissed from his post when Vargas switched sides, moving Brazil to the Allies against Adolf Hitler.

Senator

In 1945 he was one of the founders of the pro-Vargas Social Democracy Party. In 1947 he was elected Senator for the state of Mato Grosso. In 1950 he stood for the post of governor of the same state, but was defeated. He was reelected as senator in 1955 and 1962. In the Senate, he was a supporter of the Kubitschek government. After the military coup of 1964, he joined the pro-regime party ARENA, and soon became its leader. He was reelected Senator in 1970. In 1973 he became President of the Senate.[5]

Personal life

Müller was born in Cuiabá, Brazil in 1900. Müller was married to a Basque woman named Consuelo de la Lastra, and they had two biological daughters: Maria Luiza Müller de Almeida (named after Consuelo's older sister, María Luísa de la Lastra), and Rita Julia Lastra Müller. Together, they adopted de la Lastra's niece, Argentinian-born María Luísa Beatriz del.

Death

Müller died on Varig Flight 820 in France while in office in 1973, on his 73rd birthday. The plane caught on fire, causing it to crash. After his death he was honored as a national hero. Filinto has since been honored publicly by several officials and intellectuals, among them Juscelino Kubitschek and Ulysses Guimarães. On the same flight were his wife, Consuelo, and his grandson, Pedro, who was only sixteen at the time.

References
  1. Smallman, Shawn C. Military Terror and Silence in Brazil, 1910-1945, Canadian Journal of Latin American Studies, 1999, Vol. 24, No. 47, 1999.
  2. Hilton, Stanley E. Brazil and the Soviet Challenge, 1917-1947, University of Texas Press, 1991. Pp. 117-118.
  3. Lesser, Jeffery. Images of Jews and Refugee Admissions in Brazil, 1939-42, Canadian Journal of Latin American Studies, Vol. 20, No. 39/40, P. 78. 1995.
  4. Lesser, Jeffery. Images of Jews and Refugee Admissions in Brazil, 1939-42, Canadian Journal of Latin American Studies, Vol. 20, No. 39/40, P. 71. 1995.
  5. "Pós-1964 - Senado Federal". www25.senado.leg.br.
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