Its members distinguished themselves from other organization's paramilitary, such as the integralists Greenshirts, by wearing their white uniforms.

In 1932, the paramilitary group was formed to "defend a Christian Brazil against the attacks of communism" and prepare the country for the establishment of the third Empire.

The overwhelming majority of the group's members were in their youth, ecstatic after they heard the speeches which were given by Veiga, who supported the toppling of the "little, ridiculous, liberal-Judeo-Freemason-republican treacherous Brazil through the pen, through the word, and weapons".

Just as other third-position movements had their salutes which they used to greet other members with, the Patrianovists would shout "Glória" (Glory), an alternative to "Por Deus, pelo Brasil, pelo Imperador" (For God, Brazil, Emperor), with their right arms lightly uplifted, holding their first three fingers counting from their thumbs up.

However, as Pátria Nova was not a moviment of the masses, the GUIP was never able to get to even grounds with the integralists green shirts.