Integralist Uprising

Integralist Uprising
Part of Vargas Era and the Interwar period
The Guanabara Palace on the morning of May 11, after the Integralists' attack
Date 11 May 1938 Location Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Result Government victory
Belligerents
Brazil Police Corps Brazilian Navy Marine Corps	Brazilian Integralist Action[a]
Commanders and leaders
Getúlio Vargas Eurico Gaspar Dutra	Plínio Salgado Severo Fournier
Casualties and losses
18:[1] 4 killed 14 wounded	Unknown

The Integralist Uprising (Portuguese: Levante Integralista) was a failed coup by the Brazilian Integralist Action (AIB) against the government of president Getúlio Vargas during the Estado Novo in Brazil. The AIB was created due to the radicalization of politics following the successful Revolution of 1930, which had brought Vargas to power, and the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution, which had undermined revolutionary politics in favor of political extremes. Its creator, Plínio Salgado, had been influenced by fascism, ultimately starting the ritual-based, far-right organization.

In 1935, another movement at the opposite end of the political spectrum, the communist-backed National Liberation Alliance, attempted a failed revolution against the federal government. This gave pretext for the government to move in an authoritarian and repressive direction against the constitutional government which had prevailed since 1934, culminating in the 1937 coup which installed Vargas as dictator and head of the Estado Novo regime. The coup had been promoted by Integralists, and the key document which had enabled hysteria and allowed the coup to happen, the Cohen Plan, was written by Integralist captain Olímpio Mourão Filho.

Integralists were disillusioned with the new regime. From the dictatorship's inception, Vargas had failed to inform them of the Estado Novo's creation until it was done officially. In December, the AIB was forced to dissolve and reorganize as the Brazilian Cultural Association when Vargas decreed all political parties were banned, and their rituals and symbols were outlawed via a provision in the Constitution of 1937. Vargas also rescinded his promise to give the position of Minister of Education to the Integralists. This breakdown in Integralist–government relations culminated in an Integralist conspiracy which concluded in a catastrophic attempt at revolt on 10 March 1938, ending in many arrests.

On the night of 10 May through the early morning of 11 May, the rebels tried a poorly-organized revolt which almost killed Vargas and kidnapped several military leaders. Vargas and his daughter Alzira had a shootout with Integralists outside Vargas's residence, the Guanabara Palace. Upon its conclusion, Salgado was exiled to Portugal, 1,500 Integralists were imprisoned, four died, and 14 were wounded.

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