Tancredo de Almeida Neves (March 4, 1910 - April 21, 1985) was a Brazilian banker and political figure. He was born in São João Del Rei, in the state of Minas Gerais, and graduated in Law. He started his political career as a member of the legislative chamber of his city in 1934, and he was elected in 1947 to the legislature of Minas Gerais. Three years later he became a representative of his state in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. In 1953 he was appointed by President Getúlio Dornelles Vargas to be the Minister of Justice. Neves served until Vargas committed suicide in 1954. He ran unsuccessfully for governor of Minas Gerais in 1960.

Following the political crisis of 1961 (resignation of President Jânio da Silva Quadros), the parliamentary system was installed in Brazil. Tancredo Neves was appointed as Prime-Minister by President João Goulart. He served from September, 1961 until July, 1962. Although Neves was a moderate political figure, the crisis grew and the parliamentary system was abolished at the beginning of 1963. Goulart was overthrown in 1964 and Neves become opposition of the militar regim in the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB). He was elected senator in 1978 and governor of Minas Gerais in 1982. In 1984, he was one of the leaders of the Diretas Já movement that requested direct elections for President. The bid was not accept, but Neves was the candidate of the opposition to succeed President João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo. Tancredo Neves was elected in January 15th, 1985, but just one day before he would take the oath of office (March 15th, 1985), he became severely ill. He suffered from abdominals complications and developed generalizated infection. After seven surgeries, Tancredo Neves died on April 21st, 1985. He was succeeded by José Sarney. The current governor of Minas Gerais, Aécio Neves, is the grandson of Tancredo Neves.