Aurélio de Lira Tavares (7 November 1905 – 18 November 1998) was a general in the Brazilian Army. He was one of the military in the joint military board that ruled Brazil between the illness of Artur da Costa e Silva in August 1969 and the investiture ceremony of Emílio Garrastazu Médici in October of that same year.CPDOC: Aurélio de Lira Tavares
During the government of the junta, the American ambassador to Brazil Charles Burke Elbrick was kidnapped by the communist guerrilla group Revolutionary Movement 8th October — radical opposition to the military dictatorship.Newton, Michael (1 April 2002): "ELBRICK, Charles Burke". In: The Encyclopedia of Kidnappings. Checkmark Books.
Biography
A student at the Realengo Military School in Rio de Janeiro, he also graduated in law and engineering.
He commanded the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion in Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, from June 27, 1950 to November 14, 1952.
He was Commander of the 2nd Military Region, in São Paulo, from January 18, 1962 to March 7, 1963."Gallery of Former Commanders of the 2nd Military Region" . 2nd Military Region website . Accessed June 7, 2021.
He commanded the IV Army, in Recife, from October 10, 1964 to October 27, 1965."Gallery of former Commanders of the CMNE" . Retrieved May 14, 2022
He was Commander of the Superior War School, between 28 September 1966 and 13 March 1967."Gallery of former Commanders of the ESG" . Retrieved November 12, 2014 He then served as Minister of the Army in the Costa e Silva government, between 15 March 1967 and 30 October 1969."Commanders of the Brazilian Army" . Retrieved January 25, 2021.
With the President of the Republic stepping down for health reasons, Lira Tavares joined a triumvirate also formed by Admiral Augusto Rademaker (his president) and Brigadier Márcio de Sousa Melo. In this capacity, he and his colleagues governed the country until General Emílio Garrastazu Médici was chosen as President of the Republic.
He was a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, elected in April 1970. In his poetry he used the pseudonym Adelita, which was composed of the initials of his name.Benicio Medeiros (2009). The Press Stopped! The Last Days of Samuel Wainer's Last Hour. 1st ed. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Civilização Brasileira. 149 pages. ISBN 978-85-200-0940-6 His reception was hosted by Ivan Monteiro de Barros Lins."Reception speech by Ivan Lins". ABL. June 2, 1970. After serving on the military junta, he was Brazil's ambassador to Paris from 1970 to 1974."Commanders of the Brazilian Army" . Retrieved January 25, 2021.
On February 3, 1965, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator. On February 26, 1971, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Avis of Portugal."Foreign Citizens Awarded Portuguese Orders" . Search result for "Aurélio de Lyra Tavares". Presidency of the Portuguese Republic . Retrieved March 24, 2016.
He died in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 1998, at the age of 93.
See also List of presidents of Brazil Brazilian military government Augusto Rademaker Márcio Melo
References