Viriato Correia

Manuel Viriato Correia Baima do Lago Filho, or just Viriato Correia (January 23, 1884 – April 10, 1967), was a Brazilian journalist, writer, playwright and politician.

Viriato Correia was born in the city of Pirapemas, state of Maranhão, in 1884. He was the son of Manuel Viriato Correia Baima and Raimunda Silva Baima.  Still small, he went to Sao Luis, to enter primary education at Colégio São Luís and, later, at secondary school, at Liceu Maranhense.^[1] Writing career started at 16, with poetry and short stories. Moving to Recife, after the preparatory course, he joined the Law School, which he studied for three years.^[2]

Initially, his plans were to move to Rio de Janeiro to finish college, but he joined the Carioca Bohemian life, a characteristic feature of most Brazilian intellectuals at the time.^[1] In Maranhão in 1903, Viriato published his first book, a collection called Minaretes, which marks the beginning of his career as a writer.^[2]

João Ribeiro was a fierce critic of the collection, believing that the title of Arab inspiration did not match the sertanejo tales included there.^[1][2] Correia completed a law course in Rio de Janeiro in 1907, but he worked little as a lawyer.  Viriato excelled in literature, journalism and political career.  Through Medeiros e Albuquerque, he got a job at Gazeta de Notícias.  He has contributed, over the years, to several newspapers, such as Jornal do Brasil, Correio da Manhã, as well as magazines such as A Noite Ilustrada and O Tico-Tico.  ^[1] He was also the founder of two newspapers, Fafazinho and A Rua.^[1]

He entered politics in 1911, where he was elected state deputy in Maranhão and for the same state he was federal deputy in 1927 and 1930. He ended up moving away from politics in 1930 when he was arrested by the 1930 Revolution and went on to literature, where he wrote novels,  plays, children's books and historical chronicles.^[1]

Viriato Correia was a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, being the third occupant of chair 32. He was elected on July 14, 1938, in succession to Ramiz Galvão, having been received by Múcio Leão on October 29, 1938.^[3]

Viriato died on April 10, 1967, in Rio de Janeiro, at the age of 83.^[1][2][3]