SUMMARY

Following an internal power struggle among Brazil’s military leadership that had taken over power in 1964, the country again came under a civilian administration in 1985. Three years later, a new constitution restored democratic rights and in 1989 Brazil’s first direct presidential election after 29 years was held. Fernando Collor de Mello won the presidency, but was impeached two years later. Vice-president Itamar Franco finished Collor’s 5-year term. He was succeeded by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who governed the country until 2002. On a campaign against the unequal distribution of wealth in the country, leftist Lula da Silva won the presidential elections in 2002 and 2006.

The Brazilian government maintains a civil police force that carries out detective work, forensics and criminal investigation and a military police, a preventive state police force. Regularly facing violence of gangs involved in drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other organised crime, state police has also committed acts of one-sided violence. Moreover, state police, in particular state military police routinely work second jobs while off-duty. Some form "militias", "extermination groups", or "death squads" that engage in violence, including extrajudicial executions.

The government of Brazil has been involved in the one-sided category of UCDP organised violence.