With the state division process of the Mato Grosso in two federative units, the foundation of the Mato Grosso do Sul. This process took place on the day October 11thof 1977 with the presidential sanction of Ernesto Geisel, then commander of the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil since 1964. The division in question was only effectively carried out on January 1, 1979.
Reasons for the creation of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul
There is no consensus on all the reasons that led the military government to impose the division of Mato Grosso, even because the movements “divisionists” from the south of the state, led by the rural and landowner elite, were at a time of low performance and very little support. According to historian Marisa Bitar, the reasons that led the dictatorship to impose the division, without consulting the population, were:
a) Encourage regional development and territorial occupation;
b) Strengthen local borders with Bolivia and Paraguay;
c) To maintain a better political relationship with the party of the dictatorship, Arena, expanding its support base through the creation of another section.
Critics and defenders of the division of Mato Grosso
As is to be expected, the division of the state of Mato Grosso has its defenders and yours critics. Between the favorable arguments to the division, the perspective of further development of the emancipated region is cited, given the constant accusations that the government based in Cuiabá did not provide the necessary investments for the south to develop. In between the criticisms of the creation of Mato Grosso do Sul, the fact that the division was carried out without prior consultation to the population, in addition to having been carried out under purely political circumstances and without proper planning.
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Mato Grosso do Sul data
The current capital of Mato Grosso do Sul is Large field, located just over 700 km from Cuiabá, capital of the “north” state. Due to the constant confusion that takes place between one state and the other and their respective capitals, the government tried to change the name of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul for “Pantanal State” in 1998, which was not implemented due to the low political adhesion and little popular support in relation to the proposal.
THE Mato Grosso do Sul economy it is currently the seventeenth largest in the country and has a GDP of approximately 49 billion reais, according to IBGE data for 2013. Although it is going through a phase of industrial growth and development, the state is marked by agricultural production, which plays a key role over other economic activities locations. The highlight goes to the production of soy and beef, which makes the Mato Grosso do Sul territory the second largest in terms of exports in the country.
By Me. Rodolfo Alves Pena
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PENA, Rodolfo F. Alves. "October 11th – Foundation of Mato Grosso do Sul"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/datas-comemorativas/mato-grosso-sulfundacao.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
