Olímpio had previously been relevant in the 30s, when he was part of the Integralist intelligence service. By forging a communist insurrection plot - the Cohen Plan - in 1937 he gave Vargas a pretext to suspend the next year's elections and create an authoritarian Constitution. In 1938 Integralists and other groups would then try to overthrow Vargas, fail and get repressed. Olímpio and other Integralists were rehabilitated and he fought in Europe in the 40s.