90 years
Ex-presidents highlight historical and strategic relevance of the IBGE in seminar at Palácio do Catete
May 29, 2026 05h39 PM | Last Updated: June 04, 2026 12h31 AM
The seminar “90 Years: Ths history of the IBGE and the Presidency of the Republic (1936–1964)” was attended by ex-presidents of the Institute who emphasized the historical and strategic relevance of the IBGE. The event was held on Friday (29), at Palácio do Catete, in Rio de Janeiro, as part of the commemorative events for the 90th anniversary of the Institute, at the same place where it was officially established in 1936 by president Getúlio Vargas, and streamed live on Digital IGGE.
The president of the IBGE, Marcio Pochmann, highlighted the participation of ex-presidents. “The 90th anniversary of the IBGE is now part of history after a historical meeting of the Institute's ex-presidents, symbols of the strength of an institution that has endured for generations, reinvesnts the Brazilian state and goes on projecting the future with courage, public intelligence and national commitment.”
Cimar Azeredo, acting president of the IBGE from January 2023 to August 2023, highlighted the centrality of the informant in the work of the IBGE, for they are the ones who answer surveys, making it possible to portray the reality of the country. He mentioned the example of a resident who had not received visitors in months, but who was reached by IBGE enumerators, a fact that reinforces the presence of the Institute in many realities that nobody can reach: “The IBGE goes where no one else does.” In this 90th anniversary celebration, Azeredo also highlighted the collective nature of the institution, composed of professionals of different fields and generations, recalled his own history of 45 at the IBGE and congratulated the "ibgeanos” on “nine decades dedicating to work in each delivery."
Sérgio Bessermann, president of the IBGE from January 1999 to January 2003, highlighted the importance of the IBGE in his own career, and stated that it was a "blessing" to have beeen part of the institution. He emphasized the extraordinary role of the foundation to produce objective information that can precisely portray our country's reality, and that has helped consolidate a solid and unquestionable image over time. According to Bessermann, this recognition represents a fundamental intangible asset: “a reputation, a seal” built upon credibility and rigor. He mentioned, at the same time, the challenge of improving communication in the contemporary world, marked by new forms of circulation of information.
Paulo Rabello, president of the IBGE from July 2016 to June 2017, highlighted that the IBGE is marked by the commitment and passion of its officials, and declared that “ibegeanos love Brazil, and their work,", a characteristic that, he stated, defines the identity built over the 90 years of its existence. He highlighted that such dedication has a unique “fingerprint” left on the trajectory of the institutte, a decise characteristics throughout the 20th century. By evoking the figure of Teixeira de Freitas, reinforced IBGE's mission to “photography Brazil”, that is, represent, in an accurate way, the country's reality and “show what the country is realyy like".
https://www.ibge.gov.br/video/Celso-Amorim.mp4?v=1
Eduardo Rios Neto, Eduardo Rios Neto, Eduardo Rios Neto, president of IBGE from April 2021 to January 2023, emphasized that the 90th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on IBGE's strategic role towards its centenary. He recalled his own motivation for assuming the presidency, linked to the mission of completing the Census, and highlighted the institution's uniqueness in the Brazilian context.
Eduardo Pereira Nunes, president of IBGE from February 2003 to September 2011, highlighted that the experience at IBGE transforms the way professionals see the country, stating that "those who like working at IBGE do so because they have learned to like Brazil." For him, direct contact with the diversity of the population, especially in the agencies, allows for the construction of a broader and more concrete vision of Brazilian reality. Over the decades, this bond has shaped a shared institutional culture, in which employees develop a common perception of the importance of IBGE, both on a personal level and for Brazil.
Roberto Luis Olinto Ramos, linto Ramos, president of IBGE from June 2017 to February 2019, highlighted the institutional solidity of IBGE by stating that, throughout its history, the agency's own technical staff has built internal mechanisms capable of preserving its autonomy and credibility. According to him, "IBGE's technical staff created a defense system," the result of decades of work guided by methodological rigor, professional ethics, and a commitment to producing reliable information. By stating that "no one has ever interfered in IBGE's work," Olinto reinforces the perception that the institution has, over time, earned a space of respect and legitimacy both nationally and internationally. This technical independence is fundamental to ensuring the quality of the data produced and to maintaining public trust in the information disseminated.
Watch the event: IBGE 90 years
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