Intentona

Intentona is a term chiefly used in Brazilian historiography to denote the 1935 attempted coup known as the Intentona Comunista (Communist Uprising). The word “intentona” in Portuguese roughly means a big or grand attempt, and in this context it refers to a failed effort to overthrow Getúlio Vargas’s federal government.

The uprising was organized by the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB) and led by figures including Luís Carlos Prestes. The plan envisioned coordinated insurgencies in several major cities and aimed to ignite a broader revolutionary movement to establish a socialist regime in Brazil. The movement sought support from workers, militants, and sympathetic segments of the armed forces, but it suffered from limited organization, insufficient popular backing, and swift government counteraction.

The rebellion began in late November 1935, with actions taking place in Rio de Janeiro and other centers before being rapidly suppressed. The government responded with mass arrests, trials, and the banning of the PCB, leading to widespread repression of leftist organizations and activists. The failure of the Intentona contributed to the stabilization of Vargas’s rule and provided a pretext for the tightening of political authority, culminating in the Estado Novo dictatorship established in 1937.

Legacy of the event in Brazilian history revolves around its role as a turning point that intensified anti-communist sentiment and justified greater state security measures. Historians view it as a failed, poorly coordinated revolt whose suppression helped shape political developments in the subsequent decade.