November 15th is a national holiday celebrating the proclamation of the Republic of Brazil in 1889, which marked the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the republic. Banks, government offices, and post offices are closed on this day.
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Street commerce can open at will, but shopping malls tend to shorten their opening hours, with stores opening in the early afternoon and food courts operating as usual. Supermarkets and petrol stations will maintain their services and public transport will continue over the holiday. Essential services such as hospitals and emergency services remain open.
The proclamation declaring the republic was promulgated on November 15, 1889, and included the words: “The Federal Republic is provisionally proclaimed and proclaimed as the form of government of the Brazilian people.” This document also changed the country’s official name from the Empire of Brazil to the United States of Brazil, a name that remained in effect until 1968, when the country adopted its current name, the Federal Republic of Brazil.
The republican movement was motivated by military dissatisfaction with the government of Dom Pedro II, which worsened after the Paraguayan War (1864-1870), which exposed military attrition and strengthened the desire for greater political participation. Political elites and some former slave owners, dissatisfied with the abolition of slavery a year earlier, also supported the overthrow of the monarchy.
The holiday of November 15 was officially established by Federal Law No. 662 in 1949 during the administration of President Eurico Gaspar Dutra. It was later replaced by Law No. 10,607 of 2002, which maintains this day among the nationally recognized public holidays.
Home to the Proclamation of the Republic holiday, November is one of the busiest months on the calendar. In addition to the 15th, many Brazilian municipalities celebrate November 20th as Black Awareness Day. Although this day is not a national date, it is a public holiday in several cities and states. The following public holidays in 2025 are:
November 20th (Thursday) Zombie and Black Awareness Day (Holiday)
Wednesday, December 24th – Christmas Eve (optional points after 2pm)
December 25th (Thursday) – Christmas (Holiday)
Wednesday, December 31st – New Year’s Eve 2026 (optional points after 2pm)
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