João Punaro Bley

Who was João Punaro Bley?

João Punaro Bley was a Brazilian military and public administrator.

He graduated from the Minas Gerais Military School as a Brazilian Army lieutenant in 1921. Although he was sympathetic to the rebellion of young officers called Movimento Tenentista of 1922, he did not take part. In 1930 he joined the national rebellion against the Constitutional Brazilian government that began when the candidate who lost the 1930 election for president, Getúlio Vargas, alleged fraud and decided to take power by force. João Punaro Bley joined the lines of the rebel Colonel Otávio Campos do Amaral and took part on the capture of Vitória. As Octávio Campos do Amaral marched towards Rio de Janeiro, João Punaro Bley occupied the office of that state as part of a governing junta also formed by João Manuel de Carvalho and Afonso Correia Lírio.

This governing Junta lasted for a few days, whereupon on November 22, 1930 João Punaro Bley was appointed Federal Interventor in Espirito Santo for an undetermined time by the newly installed de facto president of Brazil, Getúlio Vargas.

In 1934, following the re-constitutionalization of Brazil, João Punaro Bley was elected legal governor for the 1935–1939 term. However, he was given Federal powers once again in 1937 and remained in office until 1943.