| 1964 Sailors Revolt | |||||||
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| Part of Fourth Brazilian Republic | |||||||
 Marines join the sailors | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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| José Anselmo dos Santos | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 0-1 dead and 3-4 injured in the Navy Arsenal | |||||||
The Sailors' Revolt was a conflict between the Brazilian Navy authorities and the Association of Sailors and Marines of Brazil (AMFNB) from March 25 to 27, 1964, taking place in Rio de Janeiro at the Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos, Arsenal de Marinha, and ships of the Brazilian navy. Its outcome, negotiated by João Goulart's government, outraged the perpetrators of the coup d'état a few days later, and was thus one of its immediate antecedents.
The AMFNB was part of the platoon movements (low military ranks) of the early 1960s, also responsible for the sergeants' revolt of 1963, in which many of its members participated. It was a class association for a poor category, with difficult working conditions, deprived of rights such as voting and marriage, and marked by social difference in relation to the officers. Founded in 1962, its president in 1964 was the sailor José Anselmo dos Santos, known as "Corporal Anselmo".[a] In those two years it acquired thousands of members and a more combative leadership, coming closer to President Goulart and leftist organizations, as well as becoming interested in issues outside the corporation, such as base reforms. They encountered hostility from Navy officers around the issue of military indiscipline. Their politicization was not tolerated, unlike the political activities of the officerate.
The Association's two-year anniversary, on the 25th, was celebrated at the Metalworkers Union. Upon receiving news of the arrest of directors for statements made on the 20th, those present decided to remain in assembly until the fulfillment of a series of demands. The Minister of the Navy, Silvio Mota, decreed strict readiness, which required the presence of the sailors in their units, but they disobeyed. This disobedience did not constitute an armed movement. On the 26th, the minister wanted to invade the Union with marines reinforced by the Army. The commander of the marines, Admiral Cândido Aragão, was exonerated for his refusal to attack. Subsequently, the first attempt failed as some marines joined the opponents, while the second operation was cancelled to allow the president to negotiate. By the next day the revolt spread to ships, and sailors were shot at the Navy Arsenal. The left was generally in favor of the insurgents, while the officer corps was against. Goulart ended the confrontation by giving amnesty to the sailors and appointing Paulo Mário da Cunha Rodrigues to the Ministry of the Navy. Together with his appearance on the 30th at the meeting at Automóvel Clube, this was harshly criticized by the opposition and seen by the officers as connivance with the breakdown of military discipline, thus strengthening the support base for the military coup that overthrew him at the end of the month.
The episode is related to the Revolta da Chibata of 1910, as was already felt at the time, and was followed by the punishment of those involved, the entry of some into the armed struggle against the military dictatorship, and, in the long run, the improvement of the conditions of the Navy enlisted men. The revolt is often accused of being the work of agents provocateurs (especially "Corporal Anselmo") in the service of the coup plotters, which has been contested by more recent historians.[b]
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