Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco
Encyclopedia
Marshal
Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco (ũˈbɛʁtu dʒi alẽˈkaʁ kasˈtɛlu ˈbɾɐ̃ku; September 20, 1897 – July 18, 1967) was a Brazilian military leader and politician.
He was President of Brazil, as a military dictator, after the 1964 coup d'etat. He left power in 1967 and was soon after killed when an aircraft he was travelling in was shot down by another Brazilian aircraft, allegedly by accident.
His father, Cândido Borges Castelo Branco, had also been a general. His mother, Antonieta Alencar Castelo Branco, came from an intellectual family (which included the writer José de Alencar).
Castelo Branco married Argentina Vianna, and had two children, Nieta and Paulo.
in 1918. He was a student at a military school, the Escola Militar de Realengo (in Rio Grande do Sul
), then in 1921 he joined the 12th Infantry Regiment in Belo Horizonte
. In 1927, he returned to his military school as an infantry instructor. He was promoted to captain in 1938.
As a captain, he studied in France. He was made a lieutenant colonel in 1943. During World War II
, he was a colonel in the Brazilian Expeditionary Force
which fought in Italy against Germany. He served as "Chief of the Operations Section" ("chefe de seção de operações") and is said to have spent 300 days in combat zones.
Castelo Branco subsequently wrote a large number of academic studies and treatises on the conduct of war. He was appointed Chief of Staff of the Army by President João Goulart
in 1963 and a marshal (of reserves) in 1964.
of March 31, 1964 that overthrew Goulart. On April 11, Congress chose him to serve out the balance of Goulart's term. He took the oath of office on April 15, 1964
Castelo Branco was the second Brazilian Field Marshal to become president of the nation through a coup d'état—the first was Deodoro da Fonseca
, who deposed the monarchic government of Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil in 1889.
Castelo Branco’s government, differently from previous directly elected presidents Juscelino Kubitschek, Jânio Quadros
and João Goulart
, was bankrolled from the start by the credits and loans from World Bank
, International Monetary Fund
and massive investment from multinational
American
companies, which saw the Brazilian right-wing military dictatorship
as a new, economically stable Western
ally against international communism
—mainly in Latin America
—during the Cold War
.
Castelo Branco was vested with emergency powers under the First Institutional Act, which among other things allowed him to cancel the political rights of "subversive elements" for 10 years. However, he was otherwise committed to permitting normal political activities while carrying out reform through legislation. He also had every intention of turning over power to a popularly elected president when Goulart's term was due to run out in 1966. However, several extreme right-wing civilian and military elements felt the military needed to stay in power for a number of years in order to root out subversion. Events reached a breaking point in October 1965, when opposition candidates won the governorships of the major states of Minas Gerais
and Guanabara. The extremists demanded that Castelo Branco annul the results, but Castelo Branco refused. A coup was only averted when War Minister Artur Da Costa e Silva
persuaded the extremists to let the results stand in return for Castelo Branco's promise to take a tougher line.
Thereafter, Castelo Branco dropped all pretense of democracy. On October 27, he issued the Second Institutional Act, which abolished all existing political parties, restored his emergency powers, and extended his term to 1967. The numerous parties were replaced with only two: the pro-government National Renewal Alliance Party
(ARENA) and the opposition Brazilian Democratic Movement
(MDB). In 1967, he convened an extraordinary commission of jurists that crafted a highly authoritarian constitution.
He issued many repressive laws, most notably a highly draconian press law
(Lei de Imprensa) near the end of his term. This law continued to be valid in Brazil until 2009, when it was struck down by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court. He was succeeded by Costa e Silva.
He promoted government intervention into the economy (e.g., shutting down by decree the country's flag carrier, Panair do Brasil
) and tributary reforms.
. The aircraft in which he was flying is said to have been shot down accidentally by a "Shooting star" of the Brazilian Air Force.
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco (ũˈbɛʁtu dʒi alẽˈkaʁ kasˈtɛlu ˈbɾɐ̃ku; September 20, 1897 – July 18, 1967) was a Brazilian military leader and politician.
He was President of Brazil, as a military dictator, after the 1964 coup d'etat. He left power in 1967 and was soon after killed when an aircraft he was travelling in was shot down by another Brazilian aircraft, allegedly by accident.
Family background
Castelo Branco was descended from a wealthy Northeastern family of overwhelming Portuguese ancestry (he can trace his ancestry back to the first King of Portugal Afonso Henriques). His physical appearance, according to Fabio Koifman, indicates Native American ancestry.His father, Cândido Borges Castelo Branco, had also been a general. His mother, Antonieta Alencar Castelo Branco, came from an intellectual family (which included the writer José de Alencar).
Castelo Branco married Argentina Vianna, and had two children, Nieta and Paulo.
Military career
Castelo Branco joined the Brazilian ArmyBrazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
in 1918. He was a student at a military school, the Escola Militar de Realengo (in Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
), then in 1921 he joined the 12th Infantry Regiment in Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
. In 1927, he returned to his military school as an infantry instructor. He was promoted to captain in 1938.
As a captain, he studied in France. He was made a lieutenant colonel in 1943. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was a colonel in the Brazilian Expeditionary Force
Brazilian Expeditionary Force
The Brazilian Expeditionary Force or BEF was a force about 25,700 men and women arranged by the Army and Air Force to fight alongside the Allied forces in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II...
which fought in Italy against Germany. He served as "Chief of the Operations Section" ("chefe de seção de operações") and is said to have spent 300 days in combat zones.
Castelo Branco subsequently wrote a large number of academic studies and treatises on the conduct of war. He was appointed Chief of Staff of the Army by President João Goulart
João Goulart
João Belchior Marques Goulart was a Brazilian politician and the 24th President of Brazil until a military coup d'état deposed him on April 1, 1964. He is considered to have been the last left-wing President of the country until Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2003.-Name:João Goulart is...
in 1963 and a marshal (of reserves) in 1964.
Political career
Castelo Branco became one of the leaders of the coup d'etatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of March 31, 1964 that overthrew Goulart. On April 11, Congress chose him to serve out the balance of Goulart's term. He took the oath of office on April 15, 1964
Castelo Branco was the second Brazilian Field Marshal to become president of the nation through a coup d'état—the first was Deodoro da Fonseca
Deodoro da Fonseca
Marshal Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca became the first president of the Republic of Brazil after heading a military coup that deposed Emperor Pedro II and proclaimed the Republic in 1889, disestablishing the Empire of Brazil.- Biography :...
, who deposed the monarchic government of Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil in 1889.
Castelo Branco’s government, differently from previous directly elected presidents Juscelino Kubitschek, Jânio Quadros
Jânio Quadros
Jânio da Silva Quadros , , was a Brazilian politician who served as President of Brazil for only 7 months in 1961.-Career:...
and João Goulart
João Goulart
João Belchior Marques Goulart was a Brazilian politician and the 24th President of Brazil until a military coup d'état deposed him on April 1, 1964. He is considered to have been the last left-wing President of the country until Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2003.-Name:João Goulart is...
, was bankrolled from the start by the credits and loans from World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and massive investment from multinational
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
companies, which saw the Brazilian right-wing military dictatorship
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
as a new, economically stable Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
ally against international communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
—mainly in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
—during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Castelo Branco was vested with emergency powers under the First Institutional Act, which among other things allowed him to cancel the political rights of "subversive elements" for 10 years. However, he was otherwise committed to permitting normal political activities while carrying out reform through legislation. He also had every intention of turning over power to a popularly elected president when Goulart's term was due to run out in 1966. However, several extreme right-wing civilian and military elements felt the military needed to stay in power for a number of years in order to root out subversion. Events reached a breaking point in October 1965, when opposition candidates won the governorships of the major states of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
and Guanabara. The extremists demanded that Castelo Branco annul the results, but Castelo Branco refused. A coup was only averted when War Minister Artur Da Costa e Silva
Artur da Costa e Silva
Artur da Costa e Silva was a Brazilian Army General, the second President of Brazil during the military regime set up by the 1964 coup d'état; he was born only a month before the coup that overthrow Dom Pedro II. He was married to Iolanda Barbosa Costa e Silva, the daughter of a soldier...
persuaded the extremists to let the results stand in return for Castelo Branco's promise to take a tougher line.
Thereafter, Castelo Branco dropped all pretense of democracy. On October 27, he issued the Second Institutional Act, which abolished all existing political parties, restored his emergency powers, and extended his term to 1967. The numerous parties were replaced with only two: the pro-government National Renewal Alliance Party
National Renewal Alliance Party
The National Renewal Alliance Party or Aliança Renovadora Nacional was a conservative political party that existed in Brazil between 1966 and 1985...
(ARENA) and the opposition Brazilian Democratic Movement
Brazilian Democratic Movement
The Brazilian Democratic Movement was a political party in Brazil that existed from 1965 to 1979. It was formed in 1965, when the military government that overthrew President João Goulart abolished all existing political parties...
(MDB). In 1967, he convened an extraordinary commission of jurists that crafted a highly authoritarian constitution.
He issued many repressive laws, most notably a highly draconian press law
Press laws
Press Laws are the laws concerning the licensing of books and the liberty of expression in all products of the printing-press, especially newspapers . The liberty of the press has always been regarded by political writers as of supreme importance...
(Lei de Imprensa) near the end of his term. This law continued to be valid in Brazil until 2009, when it was struck down by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court. He was succeeded by Costa e Silva.
He promoted government intervention into the economy (e.g., shutting down by decree the country's flag carrier, Panair do Brasil
Panair do Brasil
Panair do Brasil is a defunct airline of Brazil. Between 1945 and 1965 it was considered to be the largest carrier not only in Brazil but in all of Latin America.-NYRBA do Brasil :...
) and tributary reforms.
Death
Six months after leaving the presidency, he died in a suspicious aircraft incident near FortalezaFortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
. The aircraft in which he was flying is said to have been shot down accidentally by a "Shooting star" of the Brazilian Air Force.
See also
- 1964 Brazilian coup d'état
- List of Presidents of Brazil
- History of Brazil (1964-present)