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Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca[mAnwel´ dEoothO´roo dA foonse´ku] Pronunciation Key, 1827–92, first president of Brazil (1891). A leader of the discontented militarists who helped overturn the empire (Nov., 1889), he headed the provisional government that established the republic. In 1891, Fonseca was elected president by the constituent assembly. Faced with growing opposition, he dissolved Congress (Nov., 1891) and was forced to resign. He was succeeded by vice president Floriano Peixoto.
See study by C. W. Simmons (1966).
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