AI-5 (Institutional Act No. 5)

AI-5 (Institutional Act No. 5) was a decree issued in Brazil in 1968 that granted the military government emergency powers, allowing them to close Congress, censor the press, and suspend political rights. It effectively dismantled democratic institutions, establishing a repressive regime that suppressed political opposition and individual freedoms. AI-5 marked the peak of authoritarian control during Brazil’s military dictatorship, lasting until 1974, and is remembered as a period of severe political repression and human rights violations.