March 3, 1964
João Carlos Starling do Nascimento Passos
For the surprise of the beachgoers who were enjoying the sunny morning at the beach of
Botafogo,
Brazilian Navy marines carried out a military operation and occupied a two-hundred-meter stretch of the shoreline. The number of invaders was disputed and ranged from sixty, to a hundred, to as many as five hundred! The fact is that, equipped with rifles, machine guns and mortars, and wearing camouflage clothing, the troops disembarked from five landing craft and carried out a simulated combat exercise. For the infiltration and invasion drills, strategic points were designated for capture, along with simulated artillery fire and bombing. Despite all the activity, not a single shot was fired. Commanded by First Lieutenant Sérgio Vogel, the “invasion” was also attended by the commander-in-chief, Admiral Cândido Aragão, and by Rear Admiral Washington Frazão Braga, commander of the Central Garrison.
An even more striking presence was that of the civilian population, who, curious, quickly gathered and packed the area. The operation was billed as part of the celebrations for the 156th anniversary of the Marine Corps. According to Lieutenant Vogel, the demonstration would have covered only part of the invasion process, the “landing phase,” not including others such as, for example, the “softening-up phase.” As it turned out, the exercise proved a success. For Admiral Cândido Aragão, the “operation” would have been his men's great birthday gift to the Navy.
On the eve of the Military Coup, the episode at Botafogo beach takes on other meanings. In that early March, the ghost of the Coup was already circulating in some sectors of society. But it was far from being a widespread fear or expectation. So much so that the population, not yet used to the presence of military personnel in the streets, watched all that movement with curiosity. That day, the bathers had no idea that, within just a few days, that kind of display of military force would become commonplace in Rio's landscape.
Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of a beach crowded with people. On the left side, we see children and adults relaxing on the sand. Moving toward the right, we observe more people enjoying themselves on the beach. In the background, there is a large building with bleachers and a few boats in the distance. The black-and-white sign in the upper right corner of the image reads "NOTICE BEACH CLOSED".Banhistas aproveitam um dia de sol na praia de Botafogo apesar da placa que diz “Praia Interditada” -
Fundo Correio da Manhã,
1964.
Arquivo Nacional