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Brazil: Proclamation of the Republic
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By Mark Taylor
The 15th November is a public holiday in Brazil, and celebrates the "Proclamação da Republica" (Proclamation of the Republic).
Instrumental to the proclamation of the republic was Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca. Manuel was born in the state of Alagoas, on 5th August 1827. He had a military career and was involved in several battles such as the Praieira revolt in Pernambuco, in 1848, and the War of Cisplatina, which Brazil fought with Paraguay, 1864-1870. Through these military campaigns he rose from the rank of captain, to field-marshal, and then to a full marshal. His courage and competence in battle ensured his visibility as a national figure, and he became Governor of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
In 1886 the Emperor‘s, Dom Pedro II, government was ordering the arrest of prominent republicans in a political battle over the abolition of slavery. Fonseca went to Rio de Janeiro to command an army faction that favoured abolition. This argument over abolition toppled the Emperor, on 15th November 1889, and Fonseca commanded the military coup that deposed him. Dom Pedro II and his family fled to France.
Fonseca‘s leadership of the coup placed him temporarily as the head of the provisional government while the constitution was drafted. He was then narrowly elected as president, on 26th February 1891.
The government was still divided though between members who supported Fonseca and his vice-president Floriano Peixoto. Peixoto found greater support due to some arbitrary presidential decrees that soured public opinion, and on 3rd November 1891 Fonseca dissolved the National Congress and declared a state of emergency, with the country on the brink of civil war over the political split.
On 23rd November 1891 Fonseca signed his resignation, and turned over the presidency to Floriano. Fonseca died in Rio de Janeiro on 23rd August 1892.
Previous articles by Mark Taylor:
Brazilian Film Review
Brazilian Film Review
Brazil: Finados (Day of the Dead)
Interjections, exclamations and onomatopoeia in Brazilian Portuguese
Brazil: Halloween
Brazil says "No" to banning firearms
Brazil Humour: Phone Etiquette
Brazil's Gun Referendum
Brazil: Scams
Brazil: Moby Review
Brazil: Keeping in touch via the Internet - Part 5
Brazil: Keeping in touch via the Internet - Part 4
Brazil: Avril Lavigne at Pacaembu
Moby in Brazil
Brazil: Keeping in touch via the Internet - Part 3
Brazil: Keeping in touch via the Internet - Part 2
Brazilian Film Review
Brazil: Keeping in touch via the Internet - Part 1
Brazil: First season of Lost repeated on AXN
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11/15/2005
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