Getúlio Vargas
"If the birds of prey demand someone's blood, continue to suck the life of the Brazillian people, then i offer in holocaust, my life."
Carta Testamento, Getúlio Vargas, 1954
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas is a Brazilian former politician. He is considered Brazil's most important politician, whose actions shape the Brazillian landscape for half a century.
Biography
Early life
Born in the small frontier town of São Borja to a wealthy land owning family. Vargas would grow up interested with politics since a child. His family being member of the influential political class. Still as a child he saw conflict during the Federalist revolution between Castilhists and federalists.
His family having ties with provincial president Julio De Castilhos, Vargas politics were shaped from his teenage years, influenced by Castilhos. Moving to Ouro Preto, Vargas joined a youth wing of the Partido Republicano Paulista (ruling party of Brazil at the time) but had to return after a murder case involving his brothers. Later on he joined a military academy and was later discharged to be stationed in the Bolivian border during the Acre crisis.
Returning to a local law school, Vargas graduated and started a youth wing for the re-election of the PRP's Borges. For his loyalty Borges offered Vargas the position of public prosecutor at 25. Later on with encouragement of his father and Borges, Vargas went on to become a member of the state's legislature.
Political rise
Rising throught the ranks of political life starting as a state legislator, Vargas became the de-fact right hand man of Borges. Becoming a important figure for the republican party. During the 1923 Gaucho civil war Vargas was called to lead a military unit for the republicans, acting decisively and gaining fame for his command.
Later on Vargas went on to become a national deputy and then president of Rio Grande Do Sul, where from there he'd launch his bid for president of Brazil against Prestes, backed by the Paulista estabilishment.
The revolution of 1930
Vargas lost the elections to Prestes, but after the assassination of his running mate, Café Filho, he united a clique of the army to coup the goverment. After the coup, Vargas estabilished a provisional goverment to write a new constitution. Initially he colaborated with oligarchs to consolidate the economy after the 1929 crash, bringing the economy closer to state control. He famously burned most of the coffe surplus to fix the price of the product for export.
In 1932, after not progress had been made drafting the constitution, the state of São Paulo rebelled, demanding that a new constitution gets written. The revolt was put down but it showed that the goverment needed to rush the passing of a new constitution. Finally in 1934 the constitution, with inspiration of Weimar's constitution, was finished. It involved rather progressive aspects such as suffrage for women and multiple workers rights law including the creation of the CLT.
After a communist uprising in 1935, Vargas utilized the opportunity to cease the presidential power to himself. With the assistance of integralists, Vargas drafted the "Cohen plan" which claimed communists in the nation were plotting a revolution against the goverment. Vargas presented the plan in 1937 and proclaimed the "Estado Novo" (New State).
The Estado Novo and World War II
During the Estado Novo, Vargas passed multiple laws to consolidate the economy further into the states hand and to rapidly industrialize the nation, to move on from the old agricultural-based export economy kept alive by the oligarchy. Many civil liberties were also repealed to silence opposition against the newly formed goverment. Figures such as Filinto Muller were rumored to partake in executions and torture.
Brazil kept a balanced trade with both the Greater Germanic Reich and the United States of America in the lead up to World War II. When the war started, Brazil attempted to mantain the balance but tilted towards the United States. Feeling that Brazil was about to join up with the allies, Germany authorized the sinking of Brazillian ships.
After the attacks, Brazil officially declare war against the Reich and joined the allied side. Vargas sent 3 divisions under the Brazillian Expedicionary Force. They would fight in the British Isles during Operation Sea Lion. While the FEB fought bravely they were pushed up to Northern Ireland, where along with other nations they defended Ulster from German forces.
The post-war period
After the war's end, Brazil still managed to score some victories with foreign policy, seizing Cayenne and defusing a crisis between Argentina and Chile in Chile's favor. The Rio Pact or the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance was signed. in 1947 after cooperation between Thomas E. Dewey and Vargas to prevent further Axis expansion in South America. All nations signed this pact with the exception of Paraguay.
The economy took a massive hit after the end of the war, trade collapsing with America and a embargo being set on the Pakt. Still, Vargas managed to form a nationalized oil company, PetroBras and instituted the creation of a minnimum wage. But with inflation rising his successes were dwinddled.
The fall of Vargas
With pressure of a frustrated army, Vargas time seemed to be running out. But it would all truly come coming down when Vargas chief of personal security, Gregorio Fortunato, authorized a assassination against opposition leader and journalist, Carlos Lacerda. This attempt failed, but Lacerda utilized this as leverage against Vargas.
With Lacerda and the military angry at him, the economy in a major downturn and the people quickly turning ever more against him, Vargas knew of his impeding doom. After speaking with members of his family, he decided the correct decision would be to resign and allow democracy to return.
Vargas resigned and lifted the ban on political parties. Before returning to his homeland of Sao Borja, in a last political move, he founded the Brazilian Labour Party.
Life after the presidency
Vargas now lives in his small ranch in São Borja in which he was born. He continues to give his observations of the political events taking place in Brazil throughout the game. With his health deteriorating Vargas will live his last days with little political capital.
Trivia
- In real life, Vargas instead of resigning, shot himself in the heart and left a suicide letter to impede a military coup. This is Brazil's main point of divergence in TNO.