Brazilian Families Seek Justice as Death Certificates Acknowledge Dictatorship's Brutality

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Tessa Moura Lacerda, a philosophy professor at the University of São Paulo, recently achieved a significant milestone in her long battle for justice regarding her father's death. After years of legal challenges, Tessa and her mother successfully obtained a corrected death certificate that states her father, Gildo Macedo Lacerda, suffered an "unnatural, violent death caused by the State to a missing person in the dictatorial regime established in 1964." Gildo was tortured and killed in 1973 during Brazil's military dictatorship, a period notorious for silencing dissent.

The military dictatorship, which lasted from 1964 to 1985, led to the deaths and disappearances of numerous individuals. A national truth commission found that at least 434 people were killed or disappeared, with thousands more suffering imprisonment and torture. Tessa's family was among those persecuted; both her parents were arrested in 1973 due to their involvement in a left-wing group opposing the regime. While her mother was eventually released, Gildo was not, and his remains remain unidentified, believed to be in a mass grave.

For many years, Tessa carried the weight of her father's unresolved death, and only recently was she able to correct the official record. This achievement is viewed as significant not only for her family but also as part of a broader recognition of the victims of the dictatorship. In December 2023, Brazil announced it would rectify the death certificates of all recognized victims, allowing families like Tessa’s to finally receive acknowledgment of the state's role in their loved ones' deaths.

The current Brazilian political landscape has seen a resurgence in interest and discourse surrounding the dictatorship. A new film, "I'm Still Here," directed by acclaimed filmmaker Walter Salles, has brought to light the realities of this dark chapter in Brazilian history and has sparked conversations about the need for remembrance and reconciliation.

Despite these strides, families impacted by the dictatorship still face challenges. Brazil's amnesty laws shield military officials from prosecution, and there has been no formal apology from the government for the injustices committed. Activists like Tessa and others continue to demand accountability, believing that recognizing this painful past is essential to preventing future atrocities.

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