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| 1987, Feb |
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| Pres. Sarney suspended payments on the debt to foreign banks. After much international pressure, payments were resumed one year later. | 1 |
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| 1988 |
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| Brazil's population reached 144.4 million. | 2 |
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| Oct |
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| Pres. Sarney announced “Our Nature,” a program designed to protect the rain forest while allowing limited development of the Amazon basin. | 3 |
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| Oct. 5 |
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| Progressive in nature, the new constitution solidified democratic institutions, abolished presidential rule by decree, gave the vote to illiterates, protected Indian rights, and created a new labor code. | 4 |
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| Dec. 22 |
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| Murder of Francisco “Chico” Mendes, renowned leader of the National Rubber Tappers Council, by local cattle ranchers in the Amazonian village of Xapuri. Seeking to take over forest and convert it to pasture, ranchers used such extreme measures to silence opposition. | 5 |
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