The Brazilian 1964 Revolution was an mostly non-violent coup d'état that topped the populist president João Goulart of the New (or Second) Republic.

Articulated by civilians who feared the president to be a puppet to his radical leftist brother-in-law Leonel Brizola, it was effectuated by the military, who then proceeded in a reform program to get rid of the leftist influence.

This lead to political repression and the ultimate promulgation of the Institutional Act 5. It constituted Brazil in a singular type of dictatorship where the Congress was expurgated but continued to work, and Generals orderly succeeded each other elected by the Congress every few years, with the ultimate goal of returning the power to civilian politicians whenever the leftist menace was seen as suppressed.

The regime outlived its goal, but the civilians and the military worked out a gradual transition between 1979 and 1989.