UFRJ revokes honorary degree of former US Ambassador Lincoln Gordon

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) has unanimously revoked the ‘Doctor Honoris Causa’ title previously awarded to Lincoln Gordon, the former United States Ambassador to Brazil. Gordon served in Brazil from 1961 to 1966, a period that included the 1964 military coup that deposed President João Goulart.

The university's decision follows a review of institutional honors linked to the military dictatorship. Gordon's role as a Washington interlocutor during the political crisis is well-documented. Declassified files from the Lyndon B. Johnson administration revealed the United States' involvement through ‘Operation Brother Sam,’ a plan to deploy a naval task force to the South Atlantic to support the coup leaders. While the operation moved combat vessels toward the Brazilian coast, direct intervention was not required as the coup consolidated quickly.

The revocation of the academic distinction is part of a broader effort by the university to reassess honors granted to figures associated with the authoritarian regime.