Emílio Medici:biography and government

Emilio Garrastazu Medici he was the 28th president of the Republic of Brazil and governed the country between October 30, 1969 and March 15, 1974.

The Medici government went down in history as one of the most repressive of the military regime and was called the "Years of Lead".

His term was marked both by the increase in repression and by the growth of the economy, a phenomenon that was known as "Economic Miracle".

Medici Government

The Medici government succeeded that of Costa e Silva. One of the new president's first measures was to incorporate Institutional Act No. 5 (AI-5) into the Brazilian Constitution.

AI-5 suspended the right to vote and be voted in union elections, restricted the right to carry out political activities - as well as demonstrations - and instituted probation for citizens.

Censorship and political repression were common during the Medici government, marked by rural guerrillas, in Ribeira (SP) and the Guerrilha do Araguaia (PA).

In the urban region, the reaction to the military regime was verified by the increase in the number of bank robberies and plane hijackings.

Kidnap of US diplomat Charles Elbrick

Political tension increased in 1969 with the kidnapping of US ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick. This crime is considered the first abduction for political purposes in the country.

Those responsible were members of the MR8 (Revolutionary 8th of October Movement), former DI-GB (University Dissidence of Guanabara), together with the ALN (National Liberation Action).

The objective was to exchange the ambassador for 15 political prisoners and publish a manifesto against the growth of repression and restriction of freedom in Brazil by the military regime.

In response to revolutionary activity, the government increased repressive actions and the highest number of deaths of the dictatorship was recorded.

Interestingly, Congress remained open and no politician had his mandate removed.

Medici government:economic miracle

"Economic miracle" is a reference to the high growth of the country's economy in this period. The expression referred to the euphoria of economic prosperity, which would have happened without planning.

However, growth was based on heavy borrowing from the Inter-American Development Bank, which substantially increased Brazil's external debt.

Likewise, during the Medici government, various agencies were created to occupy and explore the Amazon. Of these, Incra (National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform) and the Rondon Project stand out. The construction of the Transamazônica, Cuiabá-Santarém and Manaus-Porto Velho highways was also started.

In addition, the Ilha Solteira hydroelectric plant, the largest in Latin America, the Paulínia refinery (SP) and the bridge connecting the city of Rio de Janeiro to Niterói were inaugurated. All these great works were used to convey the idea of ​​a country in progress and united.

Biography of Medici

Career military, Médici was born on December 4, 1905, in the city of Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul. His father was an Italian immigrant and his mother was Uruguayan with Basque ancestry.

He attended the Colégio Militar de Porto Alegre and the Escola Militar de Realengo, in Rio de Janeiro.

He actively participated in the 1930 Revolution, alongside Getúlio Vargas. Likewise, in 1932, he fought against the Constitutionalist Revolution, which took place in São Paulo and supported the 1964 coup.

He held the highest posts in the Army, including the head of the Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras. He was also a military attaché at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington and president of the National Information Service (SNI).

With Costa e Silva's illness, Médici's name was nominated by the Military Junta for the post of President of the Republic. After the end of his term, Médici passed the presidential sash to President Ernesto Geisel.

Upon leaving the presidency, Medica withdrew from public life and died in Rio de Janeiro, on October 9, 1985.

There are more texts on this subject for you :

• Military Dictatorship in Brazil
• Military Coup of 1964
• Amnesty Law
• Music from the Military Dictatorship