of an important part of the Brazilian political elites, searching for an autonomous foreign policy, economic development, and rapid modernization.
The cosmonaut arrived in Brazil in July 1961 amidst domestic political turmoil. Quadros’ difficulties with his own supporters at the National Congress and fierce opposition attacks kept him continually isolated. From the strict point of view of bilateral relations, however, the President played an important role in the rapprochement with the USSR. Despite his resignation in August, his actions eventually helped to re-establish diplomatic relations between Brazil and the USSR, in November 1961.
Regarding the visit per se, the cosmonaut was warmly received in Brazil. Evidence shows a perception change amongst certain political actors about the USSR. In Rio, Gagarin was welcomed as a guest of an influential politician with no sympathy for Soviet socialism. Top military leaders did not oppose the decoration of the cosmonaut. Minister Moss even prepared and delivered the commendation with honours comparing Gagarin’s feat to Santos Dumont’s first flight. Lacerda welcomed Gagarin and a year later, he would personally inaugurate the Soviet Exhibition in Rio acknowledging the USSR’s technological achievements. These facts indicate a change of the Cold War domestic debate in Brazil. After Fidel Castro took power in 1959, Cuba turned out to be the main source of worries about the spread of communism in Brazil. The USSR was gradually becoming a status quo superpower and a significant part of Brazilian conservatives was fascinated by its modernization appeal. For this reason, among others, Brazil, even after the anti-Communist rupture in 1964, would maintain its ties with the USSR and, in certain areas, even sought to expand them.
I thank Felipe Pereira Loureiro and Antônio Carlos Lessa for comments and suggestions. A remark made by Matias Spektor in 2017 was key to developing the argument of this article. A preliminary version of this text was presented on the panel “Novas Perspectivas sobre Brasil e Guerra Fria” at ABRI’s 7th National Meeting in July 2019 in Belo Horizonte.
“90% de Gagarin na ‘Folha Informações’.” Folha de S. Paulo, August 2, 1961.
“Amistoso diálogo com o governador.” O Estado de S. Paulo, August 2, 1961.
Andrews, J. T., and A. A. Siddiqi. (eds.). Into the cosmos: space exploration and soviet culture. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2011.
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