The Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 The Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 ( Also Referred to the sometimes Paulista War ) Is the name Given to the uprising of the population of the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo Against the military coup d ' état perpetrated by Getulio Vargas , under the coalition formed Between the military and the political elites from Minas Gerais , Rio Grande do Sul and Paraíba . The movement Grew out of local resentment from the fact - That the democratically elected president , from the state of São Paulo , Was stopped from taking office . The 1930 coup ended the Autonomy That states enjoyed During the term of the 1891 Constitution and Prevented the inauguration of the governor of São Paulo Júlio Prestes In The presidency of the Republic , while simultaneously overthrowing President Washington Luis , Who Was governor of São Paulo from 1920 to 1924 , marking the end of the Old Republic . The Revolution ' s main goal Was to press the provisional government headed by Getúlio Vargas to abide by the constitution , since the democratically elected president Was Kept from taking office . However , the movement developed and the resentment Against President Vargas and his illegitimate government Grew deeper , it cam to advocate the overthrow of the Federal Government , and even speculated It Was That One Of The Revolutionaries ' goals Was the secession of São Paulo from the Brazilian federation . However , it is the separatist scenario Noted That Was Used to guerrilla tactics by the Federal Government to turn the population of the rest of the country Against the state of São Paulo , broadcasting the Alleged separatist Notion throughout the country . There Is No Evidence That Was the separatist movement . Paulista propaganda poster During the Constitutionalist Revolution . The uprising started on July 9 , 1932 , after four students protesting Were Killed by government troops on May 23 , 1932 . On the wake of Their deaths , the movement called MMDC ( from the initials of the names of each of the four students Killed , Martins , Miragaia , Dráusio and Camargo ) started . The fifth victim , Alvarenga , Was Also Shot That night , But Died months later . In a few months , the state of São Paulo rebelled Against the federal government . Counting on the solidarity of the political elites of two other powerful states , ( Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul ) , Politicians from the St . Paul expected the quick war . However , solidarity That Was never translated into actual support , and the São Paulo revolt Was crushed militarily on October 2 , 1932 . In total , there Were 87 days of fighting ( July 9 to October 4 , 1932 - with the last two days after the surrender of São Paulo ) , with the balance of 934 official deaths , though non - official estimates report up to 2 . 200 dead , and many cities in the state of São Paulo suffered damage due to fighting . ITS in spite of military defeat , some of the movement ' s main Demands Were Granted by Vargas finally afterwards : the Appointment of a non - military state Governor , the election of the Constituent Assembly and , finally , the enactment of a new Constitution in 1934 . However Constitution That Was short lived , as in 1937 , Amidst growing extremism on the left and right wings of the political spectrum , Vargas closed the National Congress and enacted another Constitution , Which established an authoritarian regime called New State .