SpringofBlood

In September 1909, as usual, the young members of Rio de Janeiro's institutions of higher education celebrated the start of spring. Students in many Latin American capitals used to take to the streets to celebrate the new season. But on September 22 of that year, the street party gave way to a figurative funeral procession for Commander Souza Aguiar.

The protest represented the political burial of the general, following the expression common at the time, "morrer por ridículo" ("to die of ridicule"). Through the streets of Centro, the students carried a coffin with the phrase "Morreu o general Souza Aguiar" ("General Souza Aguiar has died"). The provocation was a response to the violence with which the commander general of the Federal District's Força Policial had reacted to the preceding demonstrations, especially the one from the previous day, in which the students tried to stop a Força Policial vehicle.

O Paiz Newspaper, Rio de Janeiro, no. 9120, p. 1, Sept. 23, 1909. Digital Newspaper Archive – National Library

Image description: The image is an old black-and-white newspaper. At the top, it reads "RIO DE JANEIRO, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1909". Below, in larger letters, it reads "COWARDLY MURDER". Following that, there is a list of items related to the event, such as "Background", "The civil police", "The conflict", "A premonition", "At the Caffete palace", "At the ministry of justice", "The command of the force", "Return from the Caffete", "Civic session", "Transfer of the bodies", "Autopsy", "The funerals", "Police inquiry", "Statements of the accused", "The dead", "The wounded", "Wake chamber" and "Other notes".

The procession continued to the Largo de São Francisco de Paula, where it was ambushed and attacked by plainclothes individuals linked to the police. Two students were killed, and several others wounded on the steps of the Escola Politécnica, which caused an uproar among part of the Rio de Janeiro population. In the aftermath of the case, a divide formed. On one side were the civilians, the students, and their supporters; on the other, the military and sympathizers of the legalist force.

O Paiz Newspaper, Rio de Janeiro, no. 9120, p. 1, Sept. 23, 1909. Digital Newspaper Archive – National Library

Image description: The image shows two black-and-white photographs side by side. The first photo, on the left, shows an individual lying down, partially covered by a sheet or blanket. The second photo, on the right, depicts another person also lying down, face turned upward. Both images appear to have been taken indoors, possibly in residential or hospital settings.

The Brazilian political context in 1909 was marked by the power struggle between militarists and civilists, represented, respectively, by Marshal Hermes da Fonseca and Rui Barbosa, candidates in the 1910 presidential elections. The tension between the two groups reverberated throughout the electoral campaign, even after the sentencing of the military officers accused of the students' deaths.

Image description: The image is a postcard with a red background. In the center, there are two blue shields with different symbols. On the left, a shield contains an open book with the word "LEX" written in capital letters, and two crossed feathers. On the right, another shield features a sword and a cavalry helmet. Above the shields, "ESCOLHA O POVO!!" is written in white letters. Below the shields, it reads "UM OU OUTRO destes brasões será colocado a 18 de Março na fachada do Caldeirão."

The trial was marked by intimidation of jurors and witnesses by the Army, and ended with the conviction of the defendants, among them Souza Aguiar's nephew, João Aurélio Lins Wanderley.