Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 314 Coup
The Royal Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro, a military academy established to consolidate the monarchy, became a secret base for opposition to the rule of Pedro II.

Deodoro da Fonseca, Floriano Peixoto, and Prudente de Morais, three ambitious men who hold real power in the military and political circles of the Brazilian Empire, gathered together and secretly planned a military coup to overthrow the monarchy.

"The rebellion in the six northern states is about to end. The troops loyal to His Majesty the Emperor will be transferred back to Rio de Janeiro in a month at most. We don't have much time to prepare."

The 52-year-old Deodoro Fonseca tapped the table with his right hand and said cautiously, "My troops have been stationed in Teresópolis in the name of rotation. General Atrenota, who is responsible for defending the western line of Rio de Janeiro, has promised to support our just actions.
When the time comes, as long as the troops we have stationed in the city take control of the palace, General Atrenota will open the defense line as planned and allow our troops to enter Rio de Janeiro."

"There are a total of 3.5 troops stationed in and around Rio de Janeiro. General Atrenota has only 4000 men under his command. Without the support of the guards guarding the palace, I'm afraid you and some of your student officers alone will not be able to control the situation in Rio de Janeiro."

Petoso disagreed with Fonseca's plan and retorted, "It will take a long time for the 17 anti-rebellion troops to return to Rio de Janeiro. We can postpone the coup date. There is no need to delay it for too long. The coup date should be 2 days later. When the Sao Paulo local troops stationed on the front line have completed the exchange of defense with the central army, I will immediately order the Sao Paulo state army to move to Rio de Janeiro. With the assistance of Sao Paulo troops, the chances of capturing Rio de Janeiro will be greater."

"There are 5 troops on the front line confronting the Han army. General Petosao withdrew elite troops at once. Aren't you afraid that the Han army will take advantage of the opportunity to attack?"

Fonseca said coldly, "And General Petoso, don't forget that there are 3 imperial central troops loyal to His Majesty deployed on the front line of Paraná State. If your army is on the way to Rio de Janeiro and the news is leaked, try to guess whether the central troops on the front line will stay in the garrison and resist the attack of the Han people, or will they turn around and attack your army?"

"I believe that the officers of Sao Paulo state can keep the secret, and the real purpose of the troop movement will not be discovered by the central army at the front."

Whoever's army enters Rio de Janeiro first will be able to gain greater power in the new government. Among the factions currently involved in the coup plot, Fonseca and Petosau have the strongest military strength. Apart from the Republican leader Morais, who has made it clear that he does not seek the first presidential throne of Brazil, Fonseca is Petosau's only potential competitor.

"The Han army has concentrated its forces in Paraná State, and the frontline garrison troops cannot be easily mobilized."

Seeing that Petoso and Fonseca could not reach an agreement on the issue of deploying troops, Morais persuaded them, "Han and Paraguay are both great enemies of the country. The key to overthrowing the rule of Pedro II is to control the garrison troops in Rio de Janeiro and the Royal Guards guarding the palace.

Before being transferred to the Victorian military commander, General Fonseca had served as the principal of the Royal Military Academy. About two-thirds of the middle and lower-level officers in the Royal Guards came from the Royal Military Academy. It is much more convenient and safer for General Fonseca to take the lead in contacting them than simply mobilizing troops from the front line.

Morais carefully balanced the interests of both parties and continued, "It is too risky to call back 20,000 troops from the front at once. If we only call back 10,000 troops and leave them to defend the Paraná front with the central army, we can provide follow-up support for the Rio de Janeiro operation and stabilize the front line. Then, after the operation in Rio de Janeiro is successful, we can order the frontline troops to obey the general's command in the name of the central government. What do you think?"

"Mr. Morais, if you and General Fonseca can agree to one condition of mine, I will not only accept your suggestion, but also voluntarily give up the opportunity to run for the first president of the republic." Considering the current situation in Brazil, Morais' suggestion is most conducive to the success of the coup. However, after accepting the other party's suggestion, Peixoto is completely at a disadvantage in the presidential competition with Fonseca. Fonseca's influence and appeal in the Brazilian government and among the people are much higher than Peixoto's. In terms of experience, qualifications and political skills, Fonseca, who participated in the suppression of the "Seaside Party" uprising in Pernambuco Province in 1848, has more advantages. With his reputation and ability, as well as the glory brought by planning a military coup, it is very difficult for Peixoto to surpass Fonseca and ascend to the post of President of the Republic of Brazil.

After several comparisons and analyses of the strength of the two parties, Peixoto wisely made another choice.

"Please say."

"After the success of the Republic, the frontline troops of Paraná State must be reorganized and merged with the troops of Sao Paulo State, and General Glaister is recommended to be the military governor of Goiás State."

"I can agree to your terms, but you must promise the administrative independence of the three states of Sao Paulo, Paraná, and Goiás. You and General Gloster must not interfere in local political decisions, and you must not violate the unified decree of the Republican government."

“As long as the military order issued by the Republican government is approved by the House of Representatives, the troops stationed in the three southwestern states will obey the central government’s dispatch.”

The three men reached an agreement on the distribution of power after the successful coup, and then began to plan and analyze the key points and steps of the coup to seize power.

"After our efforts, the British envoy Sir Austin promised not to interfere in the political changes in Brazil. Without the intervention of the British envoy and General Gordon's expeditionary fleet of more than 10,000 people, the pillar that His Majesty the Emperor used to maintain his brutal rule can be said to be shaky. All that is left is for us to do is to knock His Majesty Pedro's crown to the ground with a little effort."

Morales used his eloquence as an excellent politician to incite, "Most of the Royal Guards officers in Rio de Janeiro have chosen to resist the imperial tyranny. His Majesty Pedro's loyal servants have scattered. Now we just need to coordinate with the Royal Guards and the City Defense Army to occupy the palace, control His Majesty the Emperor and Princess Isabella who lives outside the city, and the rule of the Brassacán Dynasty will collapse."

"The 60,000 anti-rebel troops are Pedro's last resort. Within a week after the coup, we must block the transmission of information and contact between Rio de Janeiro and the outside world, and cut off the possibility of the remnants of the royalist party contacting the anti-rebel troops."

"We have people secretly monitoring the residences of Admiral Garcia and Duke Forbert. We will not let them escape from the city on the night of the coup."…………

(End of this chapter)