Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco

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Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco

29th President of Brazil
In office April 15, 1964 – March 15, 1967
Vice President(s)	José Maria Alkmim
Preceded by	Pascoal Ranieri Mazzilli
Succeeded by	Artur da Costa e Silva

Born	September 20, 1900 Fortaleza, Ceará
Died	July 18, 1967 Messejana, Ceará
Political party	None

Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, pron. IPA: [ũ'bɛɾtʊ dɨ ɐle͂'kaɾ kɐʃ'tɛlʊ 'bɾɐ͂kʊ], (September 20, 1900 - July 18, 1967). Brazilian military leader and politician. Castelo Branco entered the Brazilian Army in 1918 and was a colonel in the Brazilian Expeditionary Force during World War II. Appointed Chief of Staff of the Army by President João Goulart in 1963, he became one of the leaders of the coup d'etat of March 31, 1964 that overthrew Goulart. Elected president by the Congress, he took oath in April 15, 1964 and served until March 15, 1967. During his term, Castelo Branco dismantled the left wing of Congress, abolished all the parties, and replaced them with only two: the government's party called the "National Renewal Alliance Party" (ARENA) and the opposition's "Brazilian Democratic Movement" (MDB). He promoted economic interventions (e.g. shutting down by decree the country's flag carrier, Panair do Brasil) and tributary reforms, and was succeeded by his war minister Marshal Artur da Costa e Silva. Shortly after leaving the presidency, he died in an air crash near Fortaleza.