Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco

Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco ( born September 20, 1897 in Fair Jana CE; † 18 July 1967 Mondumbim CE) was President of Brazil ( 1964-1967 ).

Castelo Branco was the son of a senior officer of the Brazilian military and struck even early in a military career a. He studied at military academies in Porto Alegre and Realengo. During World War II he participated in the Brazilian Expeditionary Force and fought from 1944 to 1945 in Italy. After that, he held various high positions in the military and in 1962 promoted to general.

On April 1, 1964 Branco was one of the leaders of the military coup which deposed President João Goulart of his office. As a result, he was the first president, the installed the military regime. The government Castelo Branco focused on laying the foundations for a new regime and to consolidate. After he had been originally appointed to govern the term of office until 1966, he was given by Congress, a constitutional law that extended his term until 15 March 1967.

Under his rule, several laws were passed which were intended to consolidate the power of the military. 1965 a law was introduced which prescribed a two-party system. It allowed only the ruling party alliance of the National Renewal ( Arena) and a formal opposition party, the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB). After it was opposition candidates managed to win the gubernatorial elections in the states of Guanabara and Minas Gerais, an indirect election for governors and mayors of large cities has been introduced.

In 1966 there was a series of student demonstrations against the government, the ruling party still won but the parliamentary elections on 15 November 1966. With its parliamentary majority, the government of Castelo Branco could introduce legislation to regulate the press and new security laws. Shortly before the end of the term, a law was adopted yet, which strengthened the rights of the central government at the expense of the states.

The radical economic reforms of the regime of Castelo Branco were indeed unpopular, but brought economic growth, reduced inflation and put the creditworthiness of Brazil abroad restore.

On March 15, 1967, the successor of Castelo Branco, Artur da Costa e Silva was sworn, who was previously minister of war. Four months later, Castelo Branco died in a plane accident.