DemonstrationsinsupportofthecoupindowntownRiodeJaneiro

April 1, 1964

João Carlos Starling

On April 1, 1964, the streets of Rio de Janeiro were taken over by demonstrations in support of the Coup. While tanks and soldiers marched through the city, a significant portion of the Rio middle class took to the streets to celebrate the uprising of troops under the command of general Olympio Mourão Filho. This group feared the political direction of the Goulart government and called for military intervention.

With the news that the President of the Republic was leaving Rio de Janeiro and that the coup plotters were taking over the city's main points, the main avenues became packed. For many, Goulart's departure meant the purging of the communist threat and the reaffirmation of the values of tradition and family, while the arrival of the military was seen as protection of freedom and political stability.

In the streets, the celebration took various forms, including car parades, honking horns, and the ostensive display of Brazilian and Guanabara flags. Some observers went so far as to compare the demonstration to an out-of-season carnival. However, the festive mood was not unanimous. The celebrations reflected the political divide of the period. Although the Basic Reforms proposed by Goulart had strong popular support, they were viewed with considerable distrust by the wealthier classes – the same ones who, on April 1, 1964, took to their cars to celebrate the Military Coup through the neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro's South Zone.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a nighttime demonstration in an urban center. On the left side, two men are raising flags. One of them is standing, holding a large flag with a centered symbol. The other is sitting in a classic car, also waving a flag. In the background, there are more vehicles and buildings.