MEDIA AND PUBLIC OPINION IN TENSION: THE ROLE OF FOLHA DE S. PAULO AND THE SILENCING OF POPULAR VOICES DURING THE 1964 CIVIL-MILITARY COUP IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This article examines the journalistic engagement of the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo during the 1964 Civil-Military Coup in Brazil, with a particular focus on its political coverage both in the period preceding the coup and in its immediate aftermath, marked by the removal of President João Goulart. To broaden the analysis, we incorporate data from public opinion polls conducted by IBOPE (Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics), enabling a comparative reflection on two contrasting narratives: the discourse disseminated by the press and the sentiments expressed by public opinion. The study seeks to contribute to the understanding of how media and opinion polls intersected—and diverged—during a critical moment in Brazilian political history.