Hermes da Fonseca Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca ( ; May 12 , 1855 – September 9 , 1923 ) was a Brazilian soldier and politician . The nephew of Deodoro da Fonseca , the first Brazilian President , he was the country ' s Minister of War in 1906 . In 1910 , he was elected as the 8th president of Brazil , serving until 1914 . He was on an official visit to Portugal when the revolution that overthrew the Portuguese monarchy and replaced it with a new republican regime took place . Biography . His father was from Alagoas and served in the Brazilian armed forces ; as part of his service , he was transferred to São Gabriel . Hermes was born in there in 1855 . When his father was sent to the Paraguayan War , the family returned to Rio de Janeiro . Military career . In 1871 , at 16 , he got his bachelor ' s degree in Science and Letters and enrolled in the Military Academy , where he was student of Benjamin Constant Botelho de Magalhães , a promoter of the ideas of Auguste Comte in Brazil . When he graduated , he served as aide - de - camp to Gaston , comte d ' Eu . He was a supporter of the republic proclaimed by his uncle Deodoro da Fonseca and was invited by the latter to be camp assistant and military secretary after the coup . During the Revolta da Armada ( 1893 ) he proved his worth in the command of the defense of Floriano Peixoto ' s government . He headed the Police Brigade of Rio de Janeiro from 1899 to 1904 , when he assumed command of the Military Academy of Realengo . As commander of the Academy he fought against the Vaccine Revolt . He was promoted to Marshal . He performed various jobs until becoming Minister of War under Rodrigues Alves . He continued in that position during the next president , Afonso Pena , and reformed the army and the ministry with the creation of technical and administrative services . Of these innovations , the most important was the institution of obligatory military service . He resigned due to the discussion in Congress about the participation of soldiers in politics of Brazil . He was later a minister of the Supreme Federal Court ( Brazil ) . 1910 Elections . In November 1908 , he was pointed to for the succession . Counting with the support of Nilo Peçanha and all states other than São Paulo and Bahia . For the first time in republican history , there was an actual campaign with the " civilista " campaign running in open election against Hermes da Fonseca . Once elected , he traveled to Europe , where he was witness to the fall of monarchy in Portugal . Presidency . Among the events of his presidency were the Chibata Revolt and the Contestado War . Renegotiation of Brazil ' s National debt meant a second funding loan was set up . Post 1914 . After leaving the presidency , in November 1914 , he ran for the senate for Rio Grande do Sul , but refused to take the position because of the assassination of Pinheiro Machado in September 1915 . He traveled to Europe , returning to Brazil after living in Switzerland for six years , when a new presidential campaign was underway . He was welcomed by the military men and assumed the presidency of the Military Club in 1921 . In this post , he was involved in the 18 of the Copacabana Fort revolt , which started at Fort Copacabana .