Put the old man’s portrait back: the crisis in the Vargas government in the pages of O Estado De S. Paulo and A Última Hora (1951-1954)

Abstract

The 1950 presidential election was quite significant for the consolidation of the country's democratic system, with the winner being a longtime figure in Brazilian politics: former President Getúlio Vargas. Despite strong opposition from various groups linked to the economic elite - such as industrialists, merchants, and the press (including São Paulo's most traditional daily newspaper, O Estado de S. Paulo - OESP) - Vargas was elected by a wide margin, earning the right to return to the presidency, which he had previously held from 1930 to 1945. In contrast to the so-called mainstream press (which, like OESP, opposed the president), the newspaper Última Hora (UH) emerged. It began circulation in June 1951 and aimed to serve as a counterpoint to the mass-circulation newspapers, defending the government's interests and the actions of the elected president. Thus, the objective of this text is to present a brief comparison between the approaches of OESP and UH regarding the Vargas government, especially during the moments of political instability that culminated in his suicide on August 24, 1954.