The 1964 coup ended Brazil's Fourth Republic and installed a military dictatorship that lasted until 1985, reshaping the country's political order.
Key Facts
- Coup dates
- March 31 – April 1, 1964
- Deposed president
- João Goulart
- Dictatorship duration
- 1964–1985 (21 years)
- Interim president
- Ranieri Mazzilli (Chamber of Deputies president)
- First military president
- Gen. Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco
- Congress vacancy declaration
- April 2, 1964
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Brazil's Fourth Republic was destabilized by an economic crisis, deepening social conflicts, and a polarized political climate. President Goulart's push for sweeping 'base reforms' alarmed conservative elites, the Catholic Church, the press, and much of the military officer corps, who accused him of enabling communism and undermining military hierarchy. The United States, concerned about Cold War influence, allied with opposition forces and supported efforts to remove Goulart from power.
On March 31, 1964, a military rebellion began in Minas Gerais with backing from several state governors. Loyalist forces initially held an advantage, but mass defections shifted the balance. Goulart, unwilling to risk civil war, fled from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília, then Porto Alegre, and finally into exile in Uruguay. By April 1, coup leaders controlled most of Brazil; Congress declared the presidency vacant on April 2 while Goulart remained within Brazilian territory.
The coup ended the Fourth Brazilian Republic and established a military dictatorship that governed Brazil until 1985. An authoritarian, nationalist, and pro-American regime took hold instead of the expected swift return to civilian rule. Political opponents faced repression, and the coup became part of a broader wave of Cold War–era military takeovers in Latin America, contributing to decades of regional instability and authoritarian governance.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco.
Side B
1 belligerent
João Goulart.