Diretas

Diretas, often referred to as Diretas Já, was a Brazilian political movement in the early 1980s that demanded direct presidential elections and an end to the military dictatorship that had governed the country since 1964. The campaign emerged as part of the larger redemocratization process and sought to restore civilian rule through popular vote rather than succession within the army-aligned political structure.

The movement brought together a broad coalition of civil society actors, including opposition parties such as the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB/PMDB), labor unions, student groups, professional associations, and church organizations. It mobilized through petitions, street demonstrations, large-scale rallies in major cities, and coordinated acts across the country, emphasizing civil liberties, political pluralism, and universal suffrage for the presidency.

A central tactic was the push for a constitutional amendment to permit direct presidential elections (often framed as PEC 4 or similar proposals in various years). While the Diretas Já campaign generated massive public support and pressured political elites, the proposed direct-election amendment did not secure the necessary majority in Congress. The regime nevertheless proceeded with an indirect presidential election in 1985, resulting in Tancredo Neves being chosen by an electoral college, though he died before taking office and was succeeded by his vice president, José Sarney. The movement is credited with hastening the end of military rule and laying the groundwork for Brazil’s eventual 1988 Constitution and subsequent democratic consolidation.