Theotônio dos Santos was born in Carangola, Minas Gerais, 11 November 1936 and was officially registered on 11 January 1937. From 1958 to 1961, he studied in the Federal University of Minas Gerais, for his bachelor's degree in Sociology, Politics and Public Administration. He also systematically studied Marxism as a culmination of his philosophical studies between 1960 and 1964. He participated in many student-oriented movements until 1966, clandestinely after the military coup of 1964.