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Who first proposed locating Brazil’s capital in the country’s interior in 1789?

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Map of Brazil and its surrounding countries in South America, with the capital city Brasilia marked near the center of Brazil. Neighboring countries and major bodies of water, including the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, are labeled. — Brasília Brasília, Brazil

The proposal to locate Brazil’s capital in the country’s interior was first made in 1789 by Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, who was a prominent leader in the Brazilian independence movement.1