Castelo Branco's tenure as the 26th president of Brazil began on 15 April 1964, after he won the 1964 presidential election, and ended on 15 March 1967, when Artur da Costa e Silva took office.

Its main objectives were to break up the reformist nationalist ideals represented by the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) and deposed president João Goulart's base reforms project.

2, which abolished the multi-party system in Brazil and granted the President of the Republic powers to revoke the terms of Congress members and call for indirect elections.

[4][5][6][7][8][9] Despite implementing Complementary Acts to consolidate its power, the federal government kept the elections for governor scheduled for 3 October 1965: in Alagoas, the result was not ratified because it did not satisfy the absolute majority rule under Constitutional Amendment Thirteen, promulgated on 8 April.

[note 4] Castelo Branco decreed a 33-day recess for the National Congress from 20 October, in response to congressman Adauto Lúcio Cardoso, president of the Chamber of Deputies, who had kept in office six oppositionists removed from their posts a few days earlier.

[15][16][10][17][12][note 5][13] Castelo Branco also extinguished the União Nacional dos Estudantes (English: National Union of Students, UNE) and other organizations and resorted to forceful measures, such as invading the University of Brasília.

The PAEG's objectives were:[23][24][22] In order to structure the Sistema Financeiro Nacional (National Financial System) and correct inflation, Castelo Branco established unpopular measures that would lead to relative economic success:[23][22] During the first half of 1965, the Três Passos Guerrilla was defeated and an explosion damaged the office of O Estado de S. Paulo.

The incentives, combined with industrial potential, qualified human capital and a favourable international market, led the BID to evolve rapidly, resulting in Brazil becoming the world's fifth largest exporter in the defence sector by 1970.

[29] In a session that lasted three hours, marshal Costa e Silva was elected president of Brazil under the ARENA ticket on 3 October 1966, after winning 295 votes in the National Congress, one of which was cast by opposition deputy Anísio Rocha, from Goiás.