Military Regime in Brazil

1. BRAZIL
FROM MILITARY
AUTHORITARIANISM
TO THE NEW
DEMOCRACY (1964-
89)

2.  Constitutional Act?
 “Soft”
demobilization of
the most militant
Vargas forces
 Elections of 1966
◦ Pro-Vargas forces
victorious
◦ Results not allowed
to stand

3.  Controlled two-party system
(Constitution of 1966)
◦ ARENA
◦ PMDB
 After 1979 the “controlled two party
system” begins to favor the opposition
◦ Legalization of additional political parties
◦ Electoral laws discriminate against large cities

4.  Arturo Costa e Silva
(1966-69)
◦ Initially straddling the
middle
◦ Removal following a
stroke
 Emilio Garrastazú
Medici (1969-74)
◦ Nationalism
◦ Economic growth
◦ OBAN – Dark Side

5.  Ernesto Geisel (1974-79)
◦ Economic growth slows
◦ Assertion of government control over shadowy
terror apparatus
 João Figueiredo (1979-85)
◦ Dividing of the opposition
◦ More economic difficulties
◦ Designing an exit strategy

6. Castelo Branco
(1964 – 1967)
Costa e Silva
(1967 – 1969)
Emílio Médici
(1969 – 1974)
Ernesto Geisel
(1974 - 1979)
João Baptista Figueiredo
(1979 - 1985)

7.  International investors felt
insecure/feared blowup Catholic Church
and the base communities
 Modernized sectors lost faith in
capability of the military to develop the
country
 Neighborhood organizations in the
favelas of the large cities
 Women as opponents of the military
government

8.  Rural Northeast remained a stronghold of
anti-democratic forces

9.  Large land-owners control the countryside
 Politicians allied with military control state
governments
 Violence against lower classes more
prevalent than in rest of the country

10.  Short-lived triumph of Trancredo Neves
◦ Split between Northeast traditionalists and
business community of São Paulo
◦ Military fearful of domestic insurgency
 José Sarney: a second accidental
presidency
◦ Led ARENA political party in the senate during
military regime
◦ “Political Godfather” of the Northeast

11.  José Sarney: a second accidental
presidency
◦ Transitory economic recovery
◦ Economic downturn of 1986/87
 Writing a new constitution (1987-88)
◦ Constitutional convention dominated by
traditional political class
◦ Two rounds of voting for president if no
candidate has first round majority
◦ Senate & Chamber of deputies favors
traditional areas of the country

12.  Fragmented left coalesces
◦ Brizola’s geographically constrained base
◦ Lula and the PT make strides toward creating a truly
national political party
 The Right hangs on
◦ GLOBO & Fernando Collor
◦ Regional leaders in control of congress

13.  Fernando
Collor
(53%)
 Luis
Ignacio
“LULA” de
Silva (47%)