military coup is a coup d'etat led by members of the armed forces and the army for the control of the Executive Power and, consequently, of the Legislative and Judiciary.
The military coup is an illegal takeover strategy, as it constitutes the overthrow of a government to from unconstitutional actions that violate the basic principles of democracy: direct, free and secret.
As a rule, the military coup is motivated by the desire of the military intervention as a way of controlling a situation that is not their direct responsibility, for example.
The military coup is a step towards the constitution of a military dictatorship in the country or region where this coup took place.
The coupists elect a new president for the country (mandatory a high-ranking military), change the National Constitution and, above all, establish an extremely rigid regime against opponents of the blow.
Persecution, torture, arrests and deaths are common in countries that live under a military dictatorship, as all critics of the government military are classified as “political criminals” and severely punished according to the military legislation defined by the scammers.
See also: the meaning of coup d'etat it's from military intervention.
Military coup in Brazil
From a series of events that took place between March 31 and April 1, 1964, Brazil suffered a military coup that culminated in the country's dictatorship.
O 1964 military coup he deposed the democratically elected president at the time, João Goulart, taking over as army chief General Humberto Castelo Branco.
All offices and institutions that supported Goulart's government were taken by the military and its members persecuted and imprisoned as “traitors to the Nation”.
At the time, the military coup was widely supported by the mainstream media, which argued that military intervention was the only one Brazil's hope to escape the attempt to establish a government similar to that of China or Cuba, for example.
From 1965 onwards, civil rights began to be reduced and presidential elections were no longer direct, becoming an exclusive task of Congress.
The Brazilian military dictatorship lasted for 21 years, ending in 1985.
Reasons for the 1964 military coup
The main concern of 1960s conservatives in Brazil was that the country would become communist. This issue arose from the observation of the actions of President Jango (João Goulart), who defended and encouraged social, student and popular demonstrations.
The movement for the military coup was encouraged by members of the bourgeoisie and conservatives, forming a nucleus of the extreme right.
But only with the constant high rates of inflation and the fall of the national economy, the Goulart government began to weaken and lose national support.
Learn more about the meaning of Military dictatorship.