In the late 1970s, the slow and controlled process of political opening began. In response to pressure from widespread popular mobilization, amnesty was granted to political exiles and multi-party politics returned to Brazil, which opened up space for the entry of a new current into Rio's political scene, brizolismo, which embraced the minorities not represented in the debate on the democracy that was being built in the 1980s. With a campaign strategy focused on dissatisfaction with the civil-military regime, in 1982, the Rio Grande do Sul native Leonel de Moura Brizola, founder of the Democratic Labor Party (PDT), won a narrow victory for the state government of Rio, and ended up shaping the city's political direction for almost two decades.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a man speaking with journalists. He is wearing a classic suit with a tie and long-sleeved shirt. Behind him stands another person wearing a military uniform. In front, two journalists are holding radio microphones, one marked "JB 940."Leonel Brizola (c. 1984) - Agência Brasil Collection - Wikimedia Commons
Throughout the 1980s, the strength of brizolismo in the city of Rio de Janeiro grew ever greater, and two brizolistas succeeded one another as mayor: Saturnino Braga, in 1985, and Marcello Alencar, in 1988. During this period, no master plans were drawn up for the city of Rio de Janeiro, as the administration's focus shifted from major urban interventions to social issues, directly confronting poverty. Notable in this scenario was the new relationship with the favelas and the choice to urbanize these spaces. Under the responsibility of the Secretariat of Housing and Labor, the state government launched the program "Cada família, um lote" ("One lot per family"), which
legalized, at the end of the administration, around 41,000 lots and housing units, delivering property titles in housing complexes, favelas, and clandestine subdivisions throughout the state.
Still within the scope of favelas, there was an improvement in infrastructure with the implementation of programs such as Proface for water and sewage, and "Uma luz na escuridão" ("A light in the darkness"), which installed electrical grids in communities in the interior of the state.
It is worth remembering the importance of the Integrated Centers for Public Education project, the Cieps, schools where children stayed full-time, were entitled to five daily meals, a bath, medical and dental care, and space for socialization and sports. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the Cieps were meant to be the built symbols of a new nation that would be established under Brizola's leadership.
Image description: This is a photograph of a modern building located on a street. On the left side, we see a pedestrian crosswalk with a red traffic light. In front of the building, there is a white fence separating the building's area. The building has a white façade with decorative elements in green and yellow. At the bottom, there is a blue stripe with white text. On the right, there are tall trees with green foliage. The sky is clear and blue.Ciep Tancredo Neves, founded in 1986 in the Glória neighborhood. Image taken from the school's Facebook.
The construction of the city's first Ciep was linked to another major project: the Samba Runway, or, as it became known, the Sambódromo. There, where a school for 16,000 children was also built, school culture and the popular culture of carnival came together.
Image description: This is an aerial photograph of an urban area. On the left, we see residential buildings with colorful roofs. In the center, there is a large architectural complex with curved and rectangular structures. On the right, there is an expressway with vehicles circulating. In the background, other buildings and green areas are visible.Completion of the works on the Sambódromo, in 1984. Archdaily website
