Sailors'Revolt

José Anselmo dos Santos, known as Cabo Anselmo, is still today the best-known informant working for the Navy and the CIA during the Military Dictatorship. His speech on March 25, 1964, in which he came out in defense of the base reforms and the sailors' working conditions, culminated in the three-day occupation of the Palácio do Aço, headquarters of the Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos do Rio de Janeiro.

Around two thousand sailors were celebrating the second anniversary of the Brazilian Association of Sailors and Marines (Amfnb), of which Cabo Anselmo was president, when the Navy Minister, Sílvio Mota, ordered the arrest of the event's 40 organizers. Popular among the sailors, the association was not well regarded by the top brass, due to its reformist orientation and political nature. In reaction, the sailors refused to leave the union headquarters – on Ana Néri street, in São Cristóvão.

Mutinous sailors at Palácio do Aço receive soldiers from the dispatched troops, March 26, 1964. Correio da Manhã Collection/Arquivo Nacional.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a crowd gathered around an armored vehicle. The scene takes place in a location with columns and windows, possibly a public building. In the foreground, there is an armored vehicle surrounded by metal railings. Uniformed people are grouped around the vehicle, some appearing to be getting in or out of it. On the right, there is a vehicle with the inscription "ESCOLA NAVAL" prominently displayed. The background is filled with more people watching the situation.

Twenty-five soldiers from the troop sent by the minister to break up the protest decided to lay down their arms and join the mutiny. President João Goulart rushed back from São Borja to Rio de Janeiro, appointed a new minister to replace Sílvio Mota, and took over the negotiations. On the morning of the 27th, he arranged for the mutineers to withdraw, and in the afternoon he declared amnesty for the sailors.

Soldiers from the dispatched troops lay down their weapons and join the mutiny of the sailors, March 26, 1964. Correio da Manhã Collection/Arquivo Nacional.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing a group of people in military uniforms. On the left side, we see two men standing, looking down. They are wearing protective helmets and uniforms with the symbol "S" on the sleeve. In the center, two men are bent over protective equipment, possibly helmets and other safety items. In the background, there are more people in similar uniforms, some standing and others seated. Behind them, there is a wooden fence.

The mutiny emerged victorious, and the Armed Forces were affronted. The sailors' revolt unified the barracks, weakened the government, and gave the leaders conspiring against Jango the pretext to uphold their claim of the president's illegality. Meanwhile, the horizon of the coup grew dangerously closer.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a sailors' revolt. In the foreground, we see a group of sailors wearing uniforms with white hats, raising their arms and holding plates. They are in the foreground, occupying most of the image. In the background, there is a truck with uniformed soldiers sitting on it. Behind the truck, there is a metal fence and people watching from the other side. At the top of the image, we see trees and a building.