Military dictatorship in Brazil: summary, presidents and types of torture

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military dictatorship is a form of government whose political powers are controlled by the military.

The meaning of dictatorship refers to any regime of government in which all powers are under the authority of an individual or a group. In the case of a dictatorship formed by the military, they almost always come to power through a coup d'etat.

What is a coup d'etat?

A military-led coup d'état means that a legitimate government is overthrown with the support of security forces.

Some military dictatorships that do not get popular support are marked by cruelty and lack of respect for human rights, through persecution and torture of opposition defenders.

The main regions governed by military dictatorships (still in force in some countries) were Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

Military dictatorship in Brazil (1964 - 1985)

dictatorship2

In Brazil the military regime lasted more than 20 years (between 1964 and 1985). On April 1, 1964, the event that became known as 1964 military coup.

the president's government

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João Goulart (who took over after the resignation of Jânio Quadros) was deposed by a coup d'état and the military regime began a few days later. The military occupied the streets on March 31, 1964. After the occupation, President João Goulart decided to take refuge in Uruguay and the next day the military took over the country's government.

During this period, also known as the “Fifth Brazilian Republic”, the country witnessed the absence of the basic principles of democracy, in addition to massive censorship and political persecution. Several constitutional rights were violated during the Brazilian military dictatorship and countless people who took a stand against the regime were tortured and killed by some of the military.

The National Congress was dissolved during the military dictatorship, as well as all political parties, having the right to remain only two: Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) and the National Renewal Alliance (ARENA), which was predominantly formed by the military.

Presidents from the period of the military dictatorship in Brazil

The presidents who commanded the country during the military dictatorship were the following:

Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco (1964 – 1967)

Castelo Branco - President

He was a military general and was the first president under the military dictatorship. Castelo Branco created an authoritarian government that took away many rights from citizens.

In his government, only two political parties were authorized: MDB and ARENA. This measure was called bipartisanship.

In the government of Castelo Branco, the Federal Constitution of 1967 which, among other decisions, limited the right to strike, established that election for president would be by indirect vote, and allowed the death penalty in case of a crime against the country's security.

Artur da Costa e Silva (1967 – 1969)

Costa e Silva - President

It was during the government of Costa e Silva (second president of the regime) that the dreaded Institutional Act No. 5 (AI-5). This act granted extraordinary powers to the President of the Republic, surpassing the constitutional laws.

AI-5 banned popular demonstrations against the military government, established censorship control for all the forms of expression and allowed the president to revoke the political rights of anyone for up to 10 years old.

Provisional Governing Board (1969)

Governing Board

The Governing Board was a provisional government formed by Aurélio de Lira Tavares, Márcio de Souza e Melo and Augusto Rademaker. They were in government for two months, before Emílio Garrastazu Médici assumed the presidency.

In the government of the Junta, Institutional Act No. 14 (AI-14) was enacted, which allowed the death penalty and life imprisonment for cases of revolution or subversion of people who were against the military regime.

Emílio Garrastazu Médici (1969 – 1974)

Gastarrazu medici - President

Garrastazu Médici was a general in the army and was the third president of the military regime. The Medici government is considered the more repressive of the military dictatorship in Brazil. During this period many critics of the government were imprisoned or tortured.

During Garrastazu Médici's government, the Operations and Information Detachment and the Internal Defense Operations Center (DOI-Codi) were created. These bodies were responsible for the control, apprehension, interrogation, investigation and prosecution of people who were against the government.

Ernesto Geisel (1974 – 1979)

Erneste Geisel - President

He was a general in the army and fourth president of the military regime. It was during the Geisel government, in 1975, that Vladimir Herzog, a journalist who belonged to the Brazilian Communist Party, was tortured and killed by the DOI-Codi.

With Geisel's government, Brazil began to walk slowly towards redemocratization. The end of AI-5 and the permission for political opposition to exist were some signs that the dictatorship might be nearing its end.

João Figueiredo (1979 – 1985)

João Figueiredo - President

João Figueiredo was the last president of the military regime. During his government, the Amnesty Law was approved, which guaranteed the right of political exiles to return to Brazil.

During João Figueiredo's government, a law was also approved that allowed the existence of multipartyism, that is, other parties could be created in the country.

Most striking facts of the military dictatorship in Brazil (1964 - 1985)

See the list with the most important facts that happened in Brazil during the military regime.

1964 On March 31, the military occupied the streets and the next day they assumed power in Brazil (1964 military coup). That year, Institutional Act No. 1 (AI-1) was published, which allowed the suspension of political rights and the indirect election of President of the Republic. Castelo Branco assumed the presidency.
1965 Multipartyism ceased to exist in the country and only two parties were authorized to function: MDB (Brazilian Democratic Movement) and ARENA (National Renewal Alliance).
1967 Promulgation of the Federal Constitution of 1967, which established censorship and repression measures. Costa e Silva became president.
1968 The Institutional Act No. 5 (AI-5).
1969 Carlos Marighella, opponent of the dictatorship and one of the leaders of the fight against the military, was killed. The Provisional Governing Board assumed the presidency. Soon after, the position was assumed by Garrastazu Médici.
1970 From this year onwards, the persecutions, tortures and deaths of opponents of the dictatorship have become more frequent. The Operations and Information Detachment and the Internal Defense Operations Center (DOI-Codi) were created.
1971 Carlos Lamarca, opponent of the Popular Revolutionary Vanguard dictatorship, was killed.
1974 Ernesto Geisel assumed the presidency of Brazil.
1975 Vladimir Herzog was killed at DOI-Codi.
1978 The end of AI-5 was decreed.
1979 Year of publication of Amnesty Law, which allowed the exiles to return to Brazil. In that year bipartisanship ceased to exist and other parties were authorized to function in the country. João Figueiredo became president.
1984 Year in which the campaign of "Direct now" gained strength in the country. The movement fought for the right of direct elections for president of the Republic.
1985 The dictatorship officially ended in Brazil. José Sarney took over the government of the country in place of Tancredo Neves, who had been chosen as president, but did not assume the position.

Also know the main Characteristics of military dictatorships.

Types of torture most used in the Brazilian military dictatorship

During the most repressive period of the dictatorship many people were tortured by the military. At that time, it was common for people who were against the dictatorship or who criticized the government to be tortured and killed.

Learn about some of the torture methods that were used in the period:

  • physical aggression: Assorted aggressions such as punches, kicks, burns and electric shocks.
  • Psychological violence: psychological violence made with threats was used to force those being persecuted to speak out or give up the names of other people who were against the military regime.
  • electric shocks: were applied on naked people and on all parts of the body, including the head. Shocks could be delivered until the victim lost consciousness or died.
  • Pad: the paddle was a wooden instrument used for physical attacks on all parts of the body.
  • Use of chemical products: the use of acids to burn burns was common, in addition to the "truth serum", which put victims in a state of drowsiness until they confessed their opposition to the dictatorship.
  • Macaw wood: in this instrument the person was trapped in an iron bar, with feet and hands tied. At the same time, it was subjected to other types of aggression, such as punches and electric shocks.
  • Drowning: in drowning, the victims had their heads submerged in buckets or tanks or were forced to drink many liters of water, until the moment of total drowning.
  • Dragon Chair: the pursued were seated unclothed in the dragon's chair, which was made of zinc, and given successive electric shocks.

End of military dictatorship in Brazil

dictatorship

The end of the military dictatorship in Brazil happened in 1985, encouraged by the movement of Direct now and inflamed by the great discontent of the population at the high inflation and recession that the country was facing.

Tancredo Neves was elected by indirect vote as the country's president. He didn't get to take the job because he died of health problems. For this reason, the vice president, José Sarney, took office and governed the country until 1990.

The first direct election in Brazil after the end of the military regime took place on November 15, 1989. Fernando Collor was the elected president.

Learn more about the meaning of Uphanism and Coup d'etat.

What is the difference between military dictatorship and military intervention?

military dictatorship and military intervention they are not the same thing. The great similarity between them is the presence of the military. But it is necessary to know that the similarities between dictatorship and intervention stop there.

The military dictatorship is a form of government in which power over the state is controlled by the military. They usually take power through a coup. In the dictatorship there is no election, the press and the economy are controlled by the military and the population has less freedom to express their opinion.

Military intervention, on the other hand, happens when there is a need for the Armed Forces (Army, Air Force or Navy) are used to control a specific situation over which the government no longer have control. THE military intervention is not a government, is the use of the military temporarily to control an extreme situation.

know more about Dictatorship, Military coup, Military Intervention and meet the types of dictatorships.

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