This essay discusses the political activity of the conservative groups in São Paulo and Paraná who supported the military coup of March 31, 1964. We analyze the "March of Families with God for Freedom" and conclude that, in the case of the march that was held in Curitiba (re-named "March for Educational Freedom"), priority was given to issues of "individual freedom", relegating traditional Christian values to a secondary concern. The issue illustrates the complexity of the ideological conjuncture that preceded the 1964 coup, the critical character of the initiatives taken by Goulart's government in carrying out its agenda of social reform and the varying motivations, regional as well as social, underlying "civil society's" engagement in the campaign that promoted the coup d'etat.
1964 military coup; March of Families with God for Liberty; March for Educational Freedom
