Prologue
Brazil was experiencing moments of instability since the resignation of President Jânio Quadros. Elected by a small party without representation in Congress, Jânio had won the 1960 election with 5.6 million votes, a record in Brazil. But in the election for vice-president the oppositionist and socialist João Goulart, nicknamed Jango, had defeated the candidate of Jânio, Milton Campos, and was reelected.
President Jânio Quadros
Replacing the immensely popular Juscelino Kubitscheck, people bet that Janio would revolutionize Brazilian politics. But the president surprised the entire country when, after seven months in office, he resigned, citing "terrible forces." While the president resigned in Brazil, Goulart was in China.
Many say that the president's act was calculated. He hoped that with the Vice-President away the Congress would have time to think about the consequences of an "ally of the Communists," as many accused Goulart, and would refuse his resignation. Jânio's goal would be to return the presidency even stronger.
But Congress accepted his resignation. On August 25, 1961, military ministers General Odilio Denys, Brigadier Gabriel Grün Moss and Admiral Silvio Heck set up a military junta to prevent Goulart from taking office, and replaced Ranieri Mazzilli, president of the Chamber of Deputies.
The whole of Brazil seemed to surrender to the military, even the vice president. With the exception of one man. The Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Leonel Brizola, married to the sister of João Goulart.
Governor Leonel Brizola during the resistance in 1961
Brizola summoned the police of his state, surrounded the Piratini Palace in defense the possession of Goulart. The army commander in Rio Grande do Sul, General Machado Lopes, joined Brizola. Being one of the most important and rich states of the country, soon the mobilization spread.
A middle ground was set between Goulart and the military. The agreement decided that Joao Goulart could assume like president, but the country would happen to have a parliamentary system. Tancredo Neves was chosen as Prime Minister.
In January 1963 a plebiscite was held on the form of government in Brazil. By the overwhelming margin of 82% versus 18%, Presidentialism won. Now, finally, Joao Goulart had the full power of President of the Republic in his hands.
João Goulart was a member of the PTB, Getúlio Vargas' party. At age 34 he was chosen Minister of Labor of the Vargas Government, being forced to resign less than a year later. Extremely popular, in the 1955 election he was elected Vice President of Juscelino Kubitscheck with a larger vote than that of the president. As the Constitution barred re-election only for the President, Goulart re-elected himself in 1960.
President João Goulart
João Goulart was from São Borja, the same city of Getúlio Vargas and Leonel Brizola. In that city in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, shortly after resigning from the Ministry of Labor and enjoying immense popularity, the president participated in a debutant ball of a young woman, with ties to the family of Vargas. Goulart immediately fell in love with the 15-year-old. Months later, during the campaign for the Vice-Presidency, he married the young Maria Thereza Fontella.
The year 1964 had begun shortly, but the tension was already greater than in 1961. The military increasingly feared the government of Goulart. With populist leftist speeches, the president managed to anger the country's high society, which joined the military.
The month of March was the worst of them all. On March 19, in the state of São Paulo, the Family March with God for Freedom was organized, denouncing a communist coup that would be happening in Brazil. On March 20 General Humberto Castelo Branco, chief of the Army General Staff sent a message to all the officers warning about the dangers of communism.
The Family March with God for Freedom in São Paulo
On March 28, the Marines' Revolt broke out against the military officers, they demanded better conditions. After his defeat, Goulart refuses to punish the insubmissibles. On March 30 the president appears as guest of honor at a party of low-ranking military officers and denounces the existence of a campaign against the government.
The situation was boiling, there was nothing else to do. The military united, discussed and decided. The Generals would give a coup d'etat to the President.