Brazilian Constitution of 1937

Brazilian Constitution of 1937
Cover of the 1937 Constitution
Overview
Jurisdiction	United States of Brazil
Date effective	November 10, 1937
Author(s)	Francisco Campos
Supersedes	Brazilian Constitution of 1934
Full text
Constituição do Brasil de 1937 at Wikisource

The Brazilian Constitution of 1937 (Portuguese: Constituição Brasileira de 1937), promulgated by President Getúlio Vargas on November 10, 1937, was Brazil's fourth constitution and the third of the republican period. It was instituted on the same day as the installation of the Estado Novo, Vargas' dictatorial regime, and aimed to legitimize his powers. The text was inspired by the authoritarian structure of the April Constitution of Poland, which was extremely centralizing and granted unlimited powers to the President. It was drafted by the jurist Francisco Campos, Minister of Justice, and obtained the prior approval of Vargas and General Eurico Gaspar Dutra, Minister of War.^[1][2]

The 1937 Constitution satisfied the interests of political groups who wanted a strong government that would benefit the dominant parties and consolidate the rule of those on Vargas' side. Its structure was strongly centralized, with the President of the Republic responsible for appointing the state authorities (intervenors), who would be responsible for appointing the municipal leaders. With the 1937 Constitution, Vargas established a fascist-inspired authoritarian regime that lasted until the end of the World War II and consolidated his government, which had begun in 1930.^[2]

After the fall of Vargas and the end of the Estado Novo in October 1945, elections for the National Constituent Assembly were held in parallel with the presidential election. Once the Constituent Assembly was elected, its members gathered to draft a new constitution, which came into force in September 1946.^[2]