March 25, 1964
Danilo Araujo Marques
On that Wednesday, March 25, 1964, about 2,000 sailors gathered at the Palácio do Aço, headquarters of the Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos do Rio de Janeiro, to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Associação de Marinheiros e Fuzileiros Navais do Brasil (AMFNB). Well-regarded among the sailors, the Association was not looked upon favorably by the high command of the Armed Forces. That was because, in practice, it functioned as a kind of sailors' union – something explicitly forbidden by the Armed Forces. Not to mention their open support for President João Goulart's Reformas de Base.
That is why, 4 days earlier, the Minister of the Navy, admiral Sílvio Mota, had given explicit orders for the event to be called off. In vain. The celebrations not only took place, but also served as a platform for demands such as improving the food served on the ships and changing the disciplinary code. All of this in the presence of guests such as federal deputy Leonel Brizola (PTB-RJ) – a longtime ally of Jango and one of the spokesmen for the Reformas de Base – and João Cândido, the "Black Admiral," leader of the 1910 Revolta da Chibata – a symbol of resistance for the sailors and of the most brazen insubordination for the high command.
The speech by José Anselmo dos Santos, Cabo Anselmo – who, years later, would become the military dictatorship's best-known informant –, set the political tone of the demonstrations well: “those who try to subvert order are not the sailors, the soldiers, the marines, the sergeants and the nationalist officers, nor are they the workers, the peasants and the students. The truth must be told: those who, in this country, try to subvert order are the allies of the hidden forces, who drove one president to suicide, another to resignation, and tried to prevent Jango's inauguration and now prevent the implementation of the Base Reforms”.
Faced with a declared act of disobedience, the Minister of the Navy ordered the immediate arrest of the organizers. In response, the sailors crossed their arms and refused to leave the headquarters of the Metalworkers' Union. The crisis had set in. It involved government supporters and the top brass of the Armed Forces – and was far from over.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a public event. At the top of the image, there is a flag with horizontal stripes and an illustration of people in military uniforms. Below the flag is a panel with drawings of human figures. The main scene takes place on a stage where several people are gathered. On the left, a man in a military uniform is standing, while on the right, two men in suits are giving speeches. In the center, a group of people is seated at a table, possibly discussing something important. In front of the stage, there is a cardboard box with objects inside it. The background features a wall with a door and a window.Cabo Anselmo discursa ao microfone. À sua direita, Hércules Corrêa, do CGT.
Fundo Correio da Manhã/Arquivo Nacional.