March 31, 1964
Danilo Araujo Marques
Durante um dia e uma noite o Palácio da Guanabara e o Governador Carlos Lacerda foram nomes que representaram a resistência democrática na chamada ‘capital cultural e política’ do País. Ninguém pregou olho. As horas transcorreram em regime de sentinela bem acordada, até que a vitória se desenhasse no céu do Rio.
O Cruzeiro
narrated the movements of the Governor of Guanabara on that March 31st.
Since entering public life, Carlos Lacerda had always shown a taste for performances. Almost 10 years after the attack that accelerated Getúlio Vargas's downfall, now it was time to try his luck with his greatest political heir. When he got word that rebel troops were heading down toward Guanabara, the governor didn't think twice: he doubled down on the coup and turned up the volume of his opposition to João Goulart. And to create a climate of belligerence, he meticulously thought through every scenic detail: he mobilized Military Police forces, had barricades set up in front of the government headquarters, and headed there with a submachine gun slung over his shoulder. He entrenched himself at 6:30 p.m.
In vigil, he declared a school holiday, gave interviews and received visitors. Surrounded by cronies, he launched attacks against political foes – duly amplified by the loudspeakers installed outside the palace; after all, just over 1 kilometer away stood the Palácio das Laranjeiras, official residence of the President of the Republic. On the morning of the following day, he received the Generals' Manifesto as a sign of support. And, at 4 p.m., it was the turn of the Army tanks guarding Laranjeiras to fall in line. “God is with us!”, he is said to have declared. And, faced with the outcome, he set in motion his hunting apparatus for the “subversives” of Guanabara, made up of civil police, military personnel and paramilitary groups.
Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph. In the foreground, we see a group of stacked sandbags, covered with a protective cover. Above the sandbags, there is a decorative band with geometric patterns. In the background, a crowd of people is gathered around uniformed soldiers. The soldiers are arranged in two rows, facing the crowd. Most of the soldiers wear gray uniforms and white helmets. In front of the crowd, there is a group of men in suits, possibly authorities or government officials. The text in the image mentions Palácio da Guanabara and Carlos Lacerda.Soldados montam barricadas no Palácio Guanabara, sede do governo, em Laranjeiras.
Revista O Cruzeiro (Extra), 10 de abril de 1964. “Edição histórica da Revolução”. Hemeroteca Digital/Fundação Biblioteca Nacional.