Deodoro and Bolsonaro: Frenemies of the Republic

On November 15, 1889, the Brazilian Armed Forces put an end to the reign of Emperor Dom Pedro II—and with that, the monarchical system that had prevailed since the one-time colony broke away from Portugal in 1822. For a country accustomed to having a king long before it was an independent nation, talk not only of new leadership but of an entirely new system of government was jarring to the population. So, how was the proclamation of the republic covered in the press at the time?

The day after the military-led coup in the name of republicanism, Rio de Janeiro’s Gazeta de Notícias noted that “yesterday’s developments would simply be a disorder if they produced a situation that could never again guarantee this great country the peace and tranquility it needs to make use of all its resources.” Despite the lingering uncertainty, the paper emphasized the harmony among the Armed Forces under Field Marshal Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca, asserting that “each and every link between the army and the monarchy is broken by the unanimity with which the former manifested itself.” 

The paper concluded: “In every society, there are interests that patriotism demands be safeguarded. In young, resource-rich countries such as ours, those . . . interests can only be fulfilled by stable governments. Thus, after yesterday’s events, the only government that can guarantee stability is a frankly republican one. Anything else will only prolong a struggle in which the nation has everything to lose.”

For...