Field Marshal Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, pron. (September 20, 1897 - July 18, 1967) was a Brazilian military leader and politician. Castelo Branco entered the Brazilian Army in 1918 and was a colonel in the Brazilian Expeditionary Force during World War II. Appointed Chief of Staff of the Army by President João Goulart in 1963, he became one of the leaders of the coup d'etat of March 31, 1964 that overthrew Goulart. Elected president by the Congress, he took the oath of office on April 15, 1964 and served until March 15, 1967. During his term, Castelo Branco dismantled the left wing of Congress, abolished all existing political parties, and replaced them with only two: the government's party, called the "National Renewal Alliance Party" (ARENA) and the opposition's "Brazilian Democratic Movement" (MDB). He promoted government intervention into the economy (e.g. shutting down by decree the country's flag carrier, Panair do Brasil) and tributary reforms, and was succeeded by his war minister Marshal Artur da Costa e Silva. Shortly after leaving the presidency, he died in an air crash near Fortaleza.
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