RiotscausedbyGetúlioVargas'ssuicide

On August 25, 1954, protesters took to the streets of the capital, destroying and setting fire to cars and copies of the newspapers O Globo and Tribuna da Imprensa, publications openly opposed to Vargas's government.

August 24 - João Nogueira, 1989

Brazil woke up on August 24, 1954, to the news of president Getúlio Vargas's suicide, on the radio program "Repórter Esso." Vargas's government was facing political problems, with the opposition organizing and a lack of support from groups that had once been on his side, such as the Armed Forces and the press. Finding himself without options and refusing to resign, he shot himself in the chest.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white newspaper. At the top, there is a large, prominent headline that reads "VARGAS KILLS HIMSELF!" and below it, in a smaller size, "THE PRESIDENT KEPT HIS WORD: 'ONLY DEAD WILL I LEAVE CATETE!'" with a highlighted quote. On the left, there is a black-and-white photo of Getúlio Vargas. Below the main headline, there is text explaining that Vargas left a message before he died. The newspaper appears to be focused on the news of Getúlio Vargas's suicide and his final words.

In Rio de Janeiro, capital of the Republic, mourning gave way to revolt. The crowd left Galeria Cruzeiro, Largo da Carioca and Tabuleiro da Baiana – famous sites of political demonstration – and headed to Cinelândia. More heated groups attacked the offices and news vehicles of newspapers opposed to Vargas, such as O Globo and Carlos Lacerda's Tribuna da Imprensa. Aligned with the União Democrática Nacional (UDN), he took refuge in the United States Embassy, which led the rioters to stone the building.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing a riot scene. In the lower part of the image, two cars are overturned on the ground, with people gathering around them. In the background, a crowd of people watches the scene. The spatial arrangement is asymmetrical, with the cars in the center and the crowd distributed around them.

Vargas's body lay in state in the hall of the Military Cabinet until the following day, when it was taken to Santos Dumont airport, from where it continued on to burial in São Borja (RS), his hometown. When the plane took off, the crowd that had been dragging along in procession from the Flamengo beachfront realized it was standing in front of the Air Force headquarters – the first and most emphatic of the Armed Forces to demand Vargas's removal.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a large crowd gathered in an open space. From left to right, we see a series of trees and a road that curves around a central park. In the center, there is a building with many windows and columns, possibly a palace or a government building. In the background, other buildings and structures are visible, along with some trees and green areas. The crowd occupies most of the image, filling the park space and extending toward the buildings.

The protesters attacked the building with stones and sticks, and the military soon responded with heavy gunfire, causing many people to flee and be trampled. The clashes continued to shake Rio de Janeiro over the following days. Getúlio Vargas's suicide, combined with the popular reaction in the streets, ended up halting an imminent coup d'état.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a riot that took place, from the memories of "Riots caused by the suicide of Getúlio Vargas." The image shows a square with trees lining the sides. In the center, several wooden barriers are arranged on the ground, blocking the way. People are scattered throughout the square, some appearing to be in motion while others stand still. In the background, there are buildings and more people gathered.