Why did Brazil become a monarchy after independence while the other Latin American countries did not?

Answer 1

I'm Brazilian.
When the king of Portugal, John VI (João VI in Portuguese) went back to Portugal, in 1821 (he spent a time in Brazil scaping of Napoleon), he left his son, now known as Peter I (Pedro I in Portuguese), to govern Brazil. At that time Brazil was not a colony of Portugal, it had the same status since 1814. But in 1822 the Portuguese congress voted to Brazil become a colony again. So the Brazilians asked Peter I to declare the independence of Brazil and he accepted. There was no reason to try overthrow Peter I if he was in Brazilian side. The elites feared that to try to overthrow Peter I and stablish a republican government would cause a revolutionary process that could end in radicalism and could end the privilege of the elites, like slavery. So they prefered a peaceful transition towards indepedence. Portugal accept the Brazilian indepedence after receive an indenization. Brazil didn't have an independence war. In some ways the monarchy was good for Brazil, in the XIXth Brazil was not so politically unstable like the other Latin American countries.

Answer 2

The Royal family of Portugal escaped to Brazil after Napoleon's capture of Portugal. As a result, Brazil enjoyed self-government under the royal family away from Lisbon. After Joao VI went back to Portugal in 1821, his heir-apparent Pedro became regent of the Kingdom of Brazil. According to an informal understanding, known as the Braganca Agreement, Pedro would take the crown if Brazil would become independent. In 1821, the Portuguese Assembly voted to abolish the Kingdom of Brazil. The military was sent in and made all of Brazil and it's military under the rule of Lisbon. In January 1822, tensioned mounted, when Pedro was ordered back to Lisbon and he refused. This started the Brazilian War of Independence. So, it became a monarchy as a result of the agreement and the War for Independence.