Brazil Republic

Brazil Republic is the period of the History of Brazil, which began with the Proclamation of the Republic . The Republic was proclaimed on November 15, 1889 and is still in force today.

The Brazilian Republic is divided into:

• Old Republic or First Republic
• Era Vargas or New Republic
• Populist Republic
• Military Dictatorship
• New Republic

Old Republic or First Republic (1889-1930)

After the Proclamation of the Republic in Brazil, a provisional government was immediately instituted. The provisional government was headed by Marechal Deodoro da Fonseca , who should run the country until a new Constitution was drafted.

On February 24, 1891, the second Brazilian Constitution and the first of the Republic were promulgated. The day after the promulgation of the Constitution, the first president and vice president were elected by the National Congress.

The First Republic was divided intotwo periods :

• Republic of the Sword (1889-1894), due to the military status of the first two presidents of Brazil:Deodoro da Fonseca (1891) and Floriano Peixoto (1891-1894)
• Republic of Oligarchies (1894-1930), a period in which the agrarian oligarchies dominated the country, popularly known as the "coffee with milk policy", due to the domination of São Paulo and Minas Gerais in the federal government, which only ended with the 1930 Revolution. period, only three presidents did not come from the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The political supremacy of the great oligarchies was annihilated with the Revolution of 1930.

Era Vargas or New Republic (1930-1945)

The period called Era Vargas is the time when the head of the Brazilian government was the gaucho Getúlio Vargas . This phase is subdivided into:

• Provisional Government (1930-1934)
• Constitutional or Presidential Government (1934-1937)
• Estado Novo (dictatorial regime from 1937 to 1945)

From 1930 onwards, the popular masses were incorporated into the political process, always under control.

One of the reactions against the new political order installed by the Revolution of 1930 , was the Constitutionalist Movement of 1932. The movement took place in São Paulo, where political elites tried to regain political control.

In 1933, Getúlio Vargas promoted elections for the Constituent Assembly. Installation took place on November 10, when thenew Constitution in 1934.

The period of the constitutionalist government of Getúlio Vargas was a phase marked by the clash of two ideological currents. It was the "Brazilian Integralist Action", an ideology of fascist methods and the "National Liberation Alliance", a popular front movement.

During the "communist radicalization ", Getúlio got the State of War decree from Congress.

On November 10, 1937, Getúlio made a proclamation to the people, justifying the need for an authoritarian government:thus, the Estado Novo was born. .

On the same day of the coup, the new Brazilian Constitution was granted , based on the Polish constitution.

Getúlio's approach to the communists alarmed political circles. On October 29, 1945, Getúlio Vargas was deposed putting an end to the dictatorship in Brazil.

Populist Republic (1945-1964)

The former minister of war in the Getúlio Vargas government, General Eurico Gaspar Dutra, won the December 1945 elections.

On September 18, 1946, the fifth Brazilian Constitution was promulgated . That charter guaranteed civil rights and free elections, which would govern the country's life for more than two decades.

The following were Presidents of this period:

• Eurico Gaspar Dutra (1946-1951);
• Getúlio Vargas (1951-1954);
• Café Filho (1954-1955);
• Carlos Luz (1955);
• Nereu Ramos (1955-1956);
• Juscelino Kubitschek (1956-1960);
• Jânio Quadros (1961);
• João Goulart (1961-1964).

Getúlio Vargas won the 1950 elections, five years after being overthrown from power. The New Vargas Era , with its nationalist policy, received the support of the popular classes, sectors of the bourgeoisie, left-wing political groups and part of the Army.

Vargas faced strong opposition from the National Democratic Union (UDN), which had Carlos Lacerda (1914-1977) as its main spokesman, and preached the removal of the president.

The extremist wing of the opposition led by Carlos Lacerda accused people linked to the government of corruption. He also denounced scandalous financing from Banco do Brasil.

Vargas was accused of intending to install a Unionist Republic in Brazil. The regime was similar to the one Perón had installed in Argentina.

The opposition military demanded the definitive removal of Vargas. On August 24, 1954, Vargas commits suicide.

The Apogee and Crisis of Populism

In the seventeen months following Vargas' death, three presidents held power. They were Café Filho, Carlos Luz and Nereu Ramos. The political situation was difficult.

In 1955, there were new elections for president and Juscelino Kubitschek was elected, with the promise of realizing "fifty years of progress in five years of government ".

His administration was marked by works of great repercussion, among them the construction of Brasília, the new capital of the country.

In 1961, the populistJânio Quadros is elected. He resigned, however, on 25 August. According to the Constitution, deputy João Goulart should assume the presidency.

There was, however, a military veto on Jango's inauguration, accused of being a communist. The solution to the political crisis was the enactment of Constitutional Amendment No. 4, which established the parliamentary system of government in the country. The amendment limited the president's power.

João Goulart, sworn in on September 7, 1961, put into practice a nationalist policy. A plebiscite held in 1963 determined the return of the presidential regime.

On March 31, 1964, a military coup against the government overthrew João Goulart . On April 9, the revolutionary command enacted Institutional Act No. 1, which gave broad powers to the Military High Command.

Military Dictatorship (1964-1985)

The period from 1964 to 1985 was marked by the presence of military in Brazilian political life. For two decades, an authoritarian and centralizing regime was established .

The presidents of that period form:

• Marshal Castelo Branco (1964-1967);
• General Costa e Silva (1967-1969);
• General Medici (1969-1974);
• General Ernesto Geisel (1974-1979);
• General Figueiredo (1979-1985).

In August 1979, the Amnesty Act was signed, suspending the penalties imposed on opponents of the military regime.

In 1982, Brazilian society began to organize the Diretas Já campaign to hold elections for the Presidency of the Republic.

On January 15, 1985, Tancredo was elected President by the National Congress.

New Republic (1985 to present day)

The election of Tancredo Neves (1910-1985) started a new phase of republican history, however, Tancredo never took office.

Tancredo's illness and death shook the country. With the death of Tancredo, the vice president José Sarney assumed the presidency, definitively. Succeeded in power:

• Fernando Collor
• Itamar Franco
• Fernando Henrique Cardoso
• Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
• Dilma Rousseff
• Michel Temer
• Jair Messias Bolsonaro
• The History of Brazil