The Hemisphere: At Sea

Far beyond Brazil's tumult, the British freighter Uruguay Star churned placidly across the Atlantic, carrying ex-President Janio Quadros far away from the nation he impulsively left divided. Just ten months ago, at 43 (four months older than Jack Kennedy), Quadros had been elected president by the largest vote in Brazil's history. He set out on a bold program—financial austerity at home, an adventuresome neutralism abroad. Even though he played up to Moscow, and embraced Castro, the U.S. took a chance on him, offered to provide $943 million in aid. Similarly, he had his way at home—though there was increasing restiveness over...