Known as one of the first manifestations of the tenentist movement, the Levante do Forte de Copacabana was one of the most significant demonstrations of the crisis of the oligarchic hegemony. This revolt was set in 1922, a period in which the succession campaign to the government of President Epitácio Pessoa was taking place. The electoral dispute involved Artur Bernardes, representative of the São Paulo oligarchy, and Nilo Peçanha, supported by the dissident military and oligarchs of Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco and Bahia.
Defeated in the electoral dispute, the lieutenants felt deeply frustrated with the perpetuation of yet another representative of the oligarchies. It was at this moment that a series of false letters, supposedly written by Artur Bernardes, directed several criticisms of the political actions of the army officers. At the same time, there was a general discontent against the new government at a time when the population felt deeply the harm caused by the political-economic conservatism of the oligarchs.
In this climate of general dissatisfaction, some low-ranking soldiers organized uprisings in military installations in Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso and Niterói. In fact, the agitation of these soldiers only took shape after Marshal Hermes da Fonseca was arrested after criticizing the electoral process that ensured the victory of Artur Bernardes. Among the various outbreaks of revolt, the most serious happened in the capital, inside the premises of the Fort of Copacabana, on July 5, 1922.
Controlled under the leadership of Euclides Hermes da Fonseca (son of the marshal) and Siqueira Campos, the mutinous military aimed their cannons at different points in Rio de Janeiro. According to an account, the intention of these rebels was to take the Palace of Catete and place Hermes da Fonseca as provisional president. In the meantime, the votes of the last election would be recounted to put an end to the suspicions of fraud that marked that dispute.
Fearing the government's power of reaction, the Fort leaders allowed those soldiers who did not want to participate in the uprising to leave the site. Of all 300 mutineers found there, only twenty-eight chose to remain in comfort. With the immense desertion that had taken place, Euclides Hermes da Fonseca decided to leave the Fort to try to negotiate with the government. Upon his departure, he was immediately arrested and the building bombed by government troops.
The intensification of the attacks forced the small group to abandon the Fort of Copacabana. Among all the participants, only seventeen decided to go ahead with the risky plan. On the way to the palace, the military gained the support of a civilian named Otávio Pessoa. Thus, the “18 do Forte” left by Copacabana Beach willing to face the government troops. In the clash, sixteen of them were killed. Eduardo Gomes and Siqueira Campos ended up in prison.
Despite the efficient reprisal of official troops, the “18 do Forte” event inspired other individuals linked to the Army to continue the tenentist movement. Two years later, new incidents involving the military would show, once again, the crisis that affected political groups linked to the oligarchies. Signs that the political yearnings of the time were undergoing a serious transformation and that coffee growers could not ensure their own hegemony.
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By Rainer Sousa
Graduated in History
Brazil School Team
Rebellions in the Old Republic - Brazil Republic
history of Brazil - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUSA, Rainer Gonçalves. "Uprising of the Fort of Copacabana"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiab/levante-forte-copacabana.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
