São Paulo's July 9th Holiday: History of the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution

July 9th is a state holiday in São Paulo, commemorating the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution. This armed uprising was led by São Paulo against the provisional government of Getúlio Vargas, who had seized power two years prior. Since 1997, the date has been recognized as the state's magna mater, with the holiday established by State Law No. 9.497, signed by then-Governor Mário Covas. The federal authorization for states to designate their own magna mater holidays came from Federal Law No. 9.093, enacted in 1995 during President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's administration. The proposal for the São Paulo holiday originated from State Representative Guilherme Gianetti. Unlike a facultative day, this is a civil holiday mandated by state law, requiring no annual renewal. In May 2020, the holiday was temporarily moved to May 25th to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1932 revolution began as a protest demanding a constitution and opposing Vargas's rule, which ended the 'Café com Leite' political era. Key events included protests on May 23rd, leading to the deaths of four individuals—Martins, Miragaia, Drausio, and Camargo—whose initials formed the MMDC movement, a significant mobilizer. The revolution was further ignited by the removal of General Bertoldo Klinger. Despite popular support within São Paulo, the movement faltered as other states' revolts were suppressed and arms shipments were intercepted, resulting in over 600 constitutionalist deaths.