General Golbery do Couto e Silva (1911-1987)
An important minister in the Geisel administration who became notable for his efforts to democratize the military regime. Given the difficulty of this project, the moderate press dubbed him “o mago,” or “magician.” Since I was researching this process I went to see him (with Priscilla’s help [see earlier entry]) at his office at the Brasilia headquarters of O Banco da Cidade. Like most refined generals, he found it necessary to supplement his income.
He greeted me warmly but said he was annoyed at the moment because his subscription to the American Political Science Quarterly had expired. I immediately sympathized. The next interruption occurred when his secretary entered with the news that the wife of a fellow general had just died. She said what should I do? “Send the usual flowers,” barked Golbery.
We returned to our dialogue. He told me (in indirect terms) how he was trying to cajole the hardline generals to open up the system.
Eventually, against formidable odds, he was (with enormous help from the civilian sector) to succeed. One of the people who was able to help bring Brazil out of the repressive wave in Latin America.
I was proud to have known him—the Latin general who read the APSQ.
Further Readings
Silva, Golbery do Couto e. Planejamento estratégico. Rio de Janeiro: Companhia Editôra Americana, 1955.
Silva, Golbery do Couto e. Geopolítica do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: Livraria José Olimpio, 1967.
Silva, Golbery do Couto e. Conjuntura política nacional: O poder executivo e geopólitica Do Brasil. 3a Ed. Rio de Janeiro: J. Olympio Editora, 1981.
Golbery do Couto e Silva was born in Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul. After attending military school, he became an officer in 1930 and later served in the 9th Infantry Regiment in Pelotas. In 1941, he studied at the General Staff School of the Brazilian Army. During World War II, he operated as an Intelligence Officer in the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. In 1967, he published Geopolítica do Brasil, a book that heavily influenced the army during the military dictatorship. The work discussed the political and economic relations involved in national security.