The Rio Grande do Sul Revolt of 1925, also called Revolution of 1925, was triggered by opposition civilians, supported by tenentists, aiming to overthrow the state government of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and support the Prestes Column. The revolt was planned by exiles, defeated in the previous 1924 revolt, who still recognized the leadership of general Isidoro Dias Lopes. The plan envisaged uprisings in the army and invasions across the border by groups of exiles.
However, the expected uprisings did not occur and only one of the leaders of the incursions, Honório Lemes, crossed the border at the end of September. Several groups operated in the municipalities of Santana do Livramento and Dom Pedrito until their surrender or exile in early October. Another leader, Adalberto Corrêa, also tried to cross the border, but was intercepted, injured and arrested by the Uruguayan Army and police before even entering Brazil.
Background
The armed conflict between the Riograndense Republican Party (PRR) and the opposition to its political dominance in Rio Grande do Sul, apparently ended in the 1923 Revolution, was renewed in a new revolt in 1924. The dispute for state power mixed with tenentism, a military movement with national ambitions, whose enemy was Artur Bernardes, president of Brazil. The civilian oppositionists of the Liberating Alliance, led by Assis Brasil, allied themselves with rebellious military personnel, who respected the authority of general Isidoro Dias Lopes. Loyalists defended the state and federal governments. The revolt was defeated, and its participants took two paths: some continued the armed struggle outside the state, in the Prestes Column. Others went into exile in neighboring countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay.
While their companions were still fighting in the Prestes Column, the exiles continued with several revolutionary attempts, little explored in literature. The scarcity of resources, police surveillance and diplomatic pressure did not prevent Isidoro from plotting a new armed, civil-military uprising in Rio Grande do Sul, in order to divide the government's attention. For civilians, the priority was to depose the state ruler, Borges de Medeiros.
Campaign
The plan drawn up by the exiles envisaged civilians crossing the border and uprisings in the army garrisons in that region, such as the 5th Independent Cavalry Regiment (RCI), from Uruguaiana. According to Anacleto Firpo, a friend of Assis Brasil, civilians would wait for the military uprising to take action. On the other hand, according to Adalberto Corrêa, the uprising was "mainly civilian and was articulated independently of military movements". Adalberto and his exiles would invade through Santa Vitória do Palmar, which they believed was poorly defended. Zeca Neto would come via the Jaguarão River, Honório Lemes via Coxilha Negra, Júlio Barrios via Quaraí, Virgílio Viana via Barra do Quaraí and Leonel Rocha via Alto Uruguai.
Pressure from the Uruguayan authorities induced Adalberto Corrêa and Honório Lemes to bring forward the plan, taking action on their own at the end of September. In the case of Honório Lemes, he was also attracted by the promise of support from an officer from the São Gabriel garrison. Honório's offensive, consisting exclusively of civilians, found itself isolated. The conspirators in the 5th RCI did not fulfill their promise, according to them, due to the transfer of sergeants they were counting on. Zeca Neto, with health problems, had not yet taken action when he learned of Honório Lemes' defeat and abandoned the plan.
Adalberto Corrêa
Before crossing the border into Brazilian territory, the Santa Vitória do Palmar invasion force passed through a region heavily garrisoned by the Uruguayan Army and police, where it was detected. On 21 September, the Maldonado Police Department, suspecting trucks transporting agricultural machinery to the city of Rocha, seized the vehicles, in which they discovered 28 undeclared coffins with gunpowder and ammunition. Some of the trucks escaped, but the authorities were warned and the 18th Infantry Battalion went looking for them. The following day, eleven rebels fired at Chuy's deputy commander, but were imprisoned.