Diretas Ja

Diretas Já (English: Direct Now) was a grassroots social movement that emerged in Brazil in the mid-1980s demanding the end of military dictatorship and creation of a liberal democracy.

Background

Since 1962, Brazil had been a US-backed military dictatorship that oppressed its population and horribly mismanaged its economy that hurt the poor. After a politician proposed a law to democratise the country, the social movement emerged.

Events

The first protests occurred on the 31st of March, with just simple marches that occurred throughout the years. Combined with increasingly disgruntled soldiers who had seen their wages eroded by threatening their commanders, the government began to fear an all out uprising. They subjected the new law to vote in the parliament and shut down all TV and Radio stations and mobilised the military. Fortunately, the law was voted on and the country began to democratise.

Results

The movement successfully toppled the dictatorship in Brazil and created a democratic government.