BRAZIL: The Man from Minas

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The clanging of church bells, scream of sirens and thud of artillery salutes penetrated as a confused blend of sound into the blossom-bedecked Chamber of Deputies in Rio's Tiradentes Palace, but the spectators seemed unaware of the background noise or the extravagant colors of the tropical flowers. All attention centered on a pale, slender man in white tie and black tailcoat. "I swear," he said, tense with emotion, "to uphold, defend and obey the Constitution of the Republic, and to maintain its union, integrity and independence." Intoned the presiding officer...