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| 1924–26 |
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| Luis Carlos Prestes (1898–1990) led a column (Prestes Column) of former tenentes across the length of the Brazilian interior and then over the mountains and through the jungles to Bolivia. Soldiers in the column called for universal suffrage, freedom for unions, nationalism, and socialism. | 1 |
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| 1926, June 14 |
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| Brazil announced withdrawal from the League of Nations after failure to secure a permanent seat on the council. | 2 |
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| 1926–30 |
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| WASHINGTON LUÍS PEREIRA DE SOUZA (1869–1957), president. He maintained order and tried, without much success, to improve the nation's finances. Washington Luís undermined the traditional alliance between the coffee elites in Minas Gerais and São Paulo by favoring Paulistas, generating deep divisions in the ruling classes. Social unrest developed rapidly during this period and resulted in drastic measures against strikes and Communism (strikes illegal, Aug. 13, 1927). | 3 |
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| 1930, March |
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| After Washington Luís broke with tradition by choosing another Paulista as his successor, urban groups, landowners from Rio Grande do Sul, and disaffected politicians from Minas Gerais formed the Liberal Alliance under GETÚLIO VARGAS (1883–1954) to contest the elections. In the election the official candidate Júlio Prestes was named president. | 4 |
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| May |
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| Opposition candidates from Minas Gerais and Paraíba were refused permission to take their seats in the congress. | 5 |
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| July |
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| Vargas's running mate, João Pessôa, was assassinated. | 6 |
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| Oct |
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| REVOLUTION OF 1930. A great revolt erupted in the southern provinces, led by Getúlio Vargas, governor of Rio Grande do Sul. With the coffee market devastated by the depression and widespread discontent over the presidential elections, Vargas was able to build support based on the social groups that supported the Liberal Alliance. Military leaders, sensing collapse, deposed Washington Luís on Oct. 24, and turned the presidency over to Vargas a week later. Seeking to centralize power, Vargas moved quickly against regional politicians. He replaced all the governors but one with personally chosen “interventors.” He also set out to promote state-directed industrialization in Brazil, passing labor laws, exchange controls, tax incentives for industry, and lowering duties on imported machinery. | 7 |
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