THE COMPULSORY DISSOLUTION OF THE FIRST BRAZILIAN CONSTITUENT OF 1823: THE “SAQUAREMA” READING

Abstract

Exactly 200 years ago, on November 12, 1823, the first Constituent Assembly in Brazil was dissolved. Installed on May 3, 1823, the 1823 Constituent Assembly exposed the political disputes between the different ways of conceiving the future of Brazil. In this year 2023, which celebrates the bicentenary of Brazil's first Constituent Assembly, this date deserves to be remembered. The article's main objective is to celebrate the bicentenary of the 1823 Constituent Assembly and review the relevant literature, making a “saquarema” reading of the episodes that led to the dissolution of the Assembly. It examines three critical moments: the first occurred before the installation of the Constituent Assembly, in the episode known as “previous oath”, which took place on October 12, 1822; the second begins with the installation of the Constituent Assembly, on May 3, 1823, until the fall, in mid-July, of the Andrada cabinet; finally, the third moment begins with the presentation of the draft Constitution and continues until the dissolution of the Assembly, on November 12th. The method used consists of narrative review. It is concluded that these moments of crisis were linked directly or indirectly to the way of conceiving Brazil, mainly to the struggle for liberal conquests and the limitation of power, such as the absolute right of veto, by which the emperor could annul or change any article of the new Constitution.