832.00/1077: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:07 p.m.]
147. My 146, November 10, 3 p.m.1 The Minister for Foreign Affairs told me this afternoon that he desired to explain to me, before any other Ambassador, the political situation leading up to the events of today. He said that the Government had found itself faced with an electoral campaign which would have inevitably ended in a revolution. For this reason the President had endeavored to find a compromise third candidate. With this in mind he sent an emissary to the governors of the various states but was unable to obtain the consent of the governors of Pernambuco and Bahia.
This Minister added that the constitution of 1934 did not give the Executive strong enough powers to govern the country properly. After carefully sounding out public opinion in the different states, he has put forth by decree a new constitution which will be submitted at an early date to a plebiscite. This constitution will preserve the democratic institutions but will give additional powers to the President and will provide for his continuing in office for 6 years more. The constitution makes special provision for the welfare of the laboring classes.
The Minister added that it is not the intention of the Government to persecute individuals and only a few politicians have been placed under detention in their own homes. Furthermore, all of the members of the Cabinet with the exception of the Minister of Agriculture are now in agreement with the President. The Minister of Agriculture alone has resigned and will shortly be replaced.
The Minister added that the Government intends to continue its present foreign policy, and especially its cordial relations with the United States, and has no imperialistic aims or designs. The Minister said that the Government fully realized the need of foreign capital [Page 313] and assistance in developing the nation and he explained that the Government intends to pursue a very liberal policy with respect to foreign capital and foreigners who have legitimate interests in Brazil.
The Minister asserted emphatically that integralism had no part whatsoever in the present change. He characterized the Integralistas as “clowns in the political circus” and nothing more. In fact, he said that one of the primary reasons for the coup of today came from the President’s realization that decisive action was necessary to “put the brakes” on the growing Integralista movement.
The Minister earnestly hopes that the United States will adopt an attitude of sympathy and understanding toward the present changes.
In my opinion the coup of today is the climax of a carefully prepared plan. I believe that it was the President’s intention, however, to put it into effect next week and that the action of today was precipitated by Deputy Machado’s reading of the manifesto yesterday.
I might add that I am a little skeptical about the effective “preservation of democratic institutions” under the new constitution.
- Not printed.↩