Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa (1869-1957) was the last ruling oligarch of the Old Republic (1889-1930), a period of 41 years of appointed presidents from the brazilian oligarchy. Born in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, he spend most of his life in São Paulo connected to the local political scene, eventually running in a reformist ticket in 1926 winning the rigged election with 99,7% of the votes over Assis Brazil, and had a pretty decent government until 1930 when he refused to appoint a oligarch from Minas Geraes, instead appoint one from São Paulo called Júlio Prestes, who proceeded to "win" the rigged election against Getúlio Vargas.
At this point the old republic was a smoldering ruin and the breaking of the Minas-São Paulo pact, the last rigged election and the murder of Vargas vice president João Pessoa set a domino effect that resulted in mass uprising through the country resulting in the 1930 revolution. Luis would retire from politics after being deposed but remain a known figure in São Paulo until his death.
Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa (1869-1957) was the last ruling oligarch of the Old Republic (1889-1930), a period of 41 years of appointed presidents from the brazilian oligarchy. Born in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, he spend most of his life in São Paulo connected to the local political scene, eventually running in a reformist ticket in 1926 winning the rigged election with 99,7% of the votes over Assis Brazil, and had a pretty decent government until 1930 when he refused to appoint a oligarch from Minas Geraes, instead appoint one from São Paulo called Júlio Prestes, who proceeded to "win" the rigged election against Getúlio Vargas.
At this point the old republic was a smoldering ruin and the breaking of the Minas-São Paulo pact, the last rigged election and the murder of Vargas vice president João Pessoa set a domino effect that resulted in mass uprising through the country resulting in the 1930 revolution. Luis would retire from politics after being deposed but remain a known figure in São Paulo until his death.
