Brazilian military government (1964–1985)

Brazil, 1964–1985. Draft, not yet reviewed

The military dictatorship in Brazil was established on 1 April 1964, after a coup d'état by the Brazilian Armed Forces with support from the United States government against President João Goulart. It lasted 21 years, until 15 March 1985. The military regime, particularly after the Institutional Act No. 5 of 1968, practiced extensive censorship and committed human rights abuses. Those abuses included institutionalized torture, extrajudicial killings, and forced disappearances.

Seat of power: Brasília

Rulers

Humberto Castelo Branco

President of Brazil, 1964–1967

Castelo Branco was the first leader of the Brazilian military dictatorship following the 1964 coup d'état. One of his first acts was the enactment of Institutional Act No. 2, which abolished the multi-party system in the country and granted the President of the Republic the power to revoke the mandates of congressmen and call for indirect elections. He was a member of a more liberal "legalist" faction within the regime, as opposed to his more authoritarian successors.

Portrait of Humberto Castelo Branco: Governo do Brasil, Public domain, file

Artur da Costa e Silva

President of Brazil, 1967–1969

His administration, following the enactment of Institutional Act 5 (AI-5), marked the beginning of the harshest and most brutal phase of the military dictatorship, which was continued by General Emílio Garrastazu Médici, his successor. AI-5 granted him the power to shut down the National Congress, remove politicians from office, and institutionalize repression in response to the growing opposition to the regime. This repression was carried out through both legal and illegal means, including the torture of civilians.

Portrait of Artur da Costa e Silva: Governo do Brasil, Public domain, file

Emílio Garrastazu Médici

President of Brazil, 1969–1974

His authoritarian rule marked the apex of the Brazilian military regime. During Médici's presidency, the military dictatorship reached its peak, with strict control over the limited political activities allowed. This period was marked by the systematic use of violent repression, including torture and assassination.

Portrait of Emílio Garrastazu Médici: UnknownUnknown, Public domain, file

1969 Provisional Governing Board of Brazil

President of Brazil, 1969–1969

A Military Junta or Junta Militar ruled Brazil from August 31 to October 30, 1969, between the sudden illness of President Artur da Costa e Silva and the swearing-in of Emílio Garrastazu Médici as his successor. The Junta was composed of the three armed forces ministers: Army Minister General Aurélio de Lira Tavares, Navy Minister Admiral Augusto Hamann Rademaker Grünewald and Air Force Minister Brigadier Márcio de Souza e Mello. They ruled under the provisions of the highly repressive Fifth Institutional Act (AI-5).

Portrait of 1969 Provisional Governing Board of Brazil: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file

Ernesto Geisel

President of Brazil, 1974–1979

His government was marked by the beginning of political openness and a softening of the repression imposed by the military dictatorship, but he faced strong opposition from hardline politicians. Significant events during his tenure included the repeal of AI-5 and significant progress in the construction of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant.

Portrait of Ernesto Geisel: Federal Government of Brazil, Public domain, file

João Figueiredo

President of Brazil, 1979–1985

Shortly after taking office, he approved a broad amnesty for politicians who had been removed from office under the Institutional Acts. In 1980, the two-party system was abolished, leading to the creation of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) as the successor to the MDB and the Democratic Social Party (PDS) as the successor to ARENA, along with several new parties. However, the Figueiredo administration allowed an indirect presidential election, ultimately leading to the end of Brazil's military regime.

Portrait of João Figueiredo: Governo do Brasil Original image uploader Sfs90, Public domain, file

Culture

The dictatorship reached the height of its popularity in the early 1970s with the so-called "Brazilian Miracle", even as it censored all media, and tortured, killed, and exiled dissidents.
It is estimated that 434 people were either confirmed killed or went missing and 20,000 people were tortured during Brazil's military dictatorship. Some human rights activists and others assert that the figure could be much higher, and should include thousands of indigenous people who died because of the regime's negligence, but the armed forces dispute this.
In 2014, nearly 30 years after the regime collapsed, the Brazilian military recognized for the first time the excesses its agents committed during the dictatorship, including the torture and murder of political dissidents.

Picture

The Rio–Niterói Bridge, officially the President Costa e Silva Bridge, spans Guanabara Bay and was completed in 1974.

Image: Diego Baravelli, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.