Torture in Brazil: A Shocking Report on the Pervasive Use of Torture by Brazilian Military Governments, 1964-1979, Secretly Prepared by the Archiodese of São Paulo (ILAS Special Publication) [Paperback]

Brazil Archdiocese of São Paulo (Author), Joan Dassin (Editor, Contributor), Jaime Wright (Translator)

Book Description

Series: ILAS Special Publication | Publication Date: 1998

From 1964 until 1985, Brazil was ruled by a military regime that sanctioned the systematic use of torture in dealing with its political opponents. The catalog of what went on during that grim period was originally published in Portuguese as Brasil: Nunca Mais (Brazil: Never Again) in 1985.

The volume was based on the official documentation kept by the very military that perpetrated the horrific acts. These extensive documents include military court proceedings of actual trials, secretly photocopied by lawyers associated with the Catholic Church and analyzed by a team of researchers. Their daring project--known as BNM for Brasil: Nunca Mais--compiled more than 2,700 pages of testimony by political prisoners documenting close to three hundred forms of torture.

The BNM project proves conclusively that torture was an essential part of the military justice system and that judicial authorities were clearly aware of the use of torture to extract confessions. Still, it took more than a decade after the publication of Brasil: Nunca Mais for the armed forces to admit publicly that such torture had ever taken place. Torture in Brazil, the English version of the book re-edited here, serves as a timely reminder of the role of Brazil's military in past repression.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the military regime that ruled Brazil for 21 years, beginning in 1964, torture was so common a tactic of repression that military personnel were instructed in how to conduct it, with political prisoners used as "guinea pigs" for class exercises. In this grim book, originally published in Portuguese as Brazil: Nunca Mais (Brazil: Never Again) in 1985, human-rights activists published evidence--surreptitiously collected documents of actual military court trials--that showed not only the extent of torture, but the complicity of the judicial branch, which knew that many confessions were falsely obtained under duress. With relentless detail, the documents discuss who was tortured, what instruments were used to exact pain, and the physical, psychological, and moral consequences of brutal abuse, with the aim of forcing acknowledgment of the atrocities and creating an environment where reform and progress can be achieved, where people feel represented by their government rather than live in fear of it. As the man who at the time was archbishop of São Paulo writes in his preface, "This entire book is written in blood and with much love for our country."

Review

This is the most important book to come out of Brazil in this decade, perhaps in the last 30 years. (Choice )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292704844
• ISBN-13: 978-0292704848
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #973,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars harrowing, yet essential, April 26, 2001

By 

Sean M. Kelly (Portland, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Torture in Brazil: A Shocking Report on the Pervasive Use of Torture by Brazilian Military Governments, 1964-1979, Secretly Prepared by the Archiodese of São Paulo (ILAS Special Publication) (Paperback)

The English release of the 1985 findings by the Brazilian Catholic Church is among the most gut wrenching books I have read on any such subject in the last few years. While it is commonplace amongst scholars of Latin American or so called "Third World" nations to learn or read about such obvious atrocities, it never gets any less easy to digest or to fully comprehend such acts without asking the age old questions- How? and Why?

The study was an immense undertaking for the Church, and the findings are painstaking in their details- discussing rigged trials in order to quickly kill off "ememies," to the day to day horrors and brutality that everday people endured in the name of state "security," to the AI5, a political police action designed to crush the political and intellectual MPB (Musica Popularia Brasilia) of the late 1960's, which included the so-called "Tropicalia" movement (which included musicians such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil- both of whom were arrested and deported in 1969-70- Gal Costa, Tom Ze, and Os Mutantes). No one was safe from the state.

The goal of the study was to expose the brutality of the regime, and this was indeed successful, as every lst detail was placed within the covers of this book. It will likely take several generations to know if the study was a success in terms of curbing the violence and its hideous effects on the everyday person. Hopefully, it will help everyone learn from its collective past lest we be condemned to repeat it. A powerfully riveting study.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars shocking reports, January 8, 2011

By 

A. M. L. "goodgirl-br" (USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Torture in Brazil: A Shocking Report on the Pervasive Use of Torture by Brazilian Military Governments, 1964-1979, Secretly Prepared by the Archiodese of São Paulo (ILAS Special Publication) (Paperback)

I'm from Brazil and I was born in 1966 right in the middle of the military repretion still I didn't realized how awful it was until I read this book. We hear stories here and there but we don't know the truth until a book like this comes along.
The military still has a firm grip on imposing "order" in Brazil and I really don't think it will ever change. They control the population by intimidation, violance and pure brute force. I'm sure people still deasaper every day, we just don't hear about it anymore.

4 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars An example of brazilian left's bigotry., February 24, 2006

By 

Dalton C. Rocha (Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Torture in Brazil: A Shocking Report on the Pervasive Use of Torture by Brazilian Military Governments, 1964-1979, Secretly Prepared by the Archiodese of São Paulo (ILAS Special Publication) (Paperback)

I read this book here in Brazil, about 20 years ago.It's a terrible example of how a book can be ridiculous, liar, faker and bigoted.
The man who gave the order, to publish this ridiculous trash-book is a marxist and of course, a brazilian marxist and catholic bishop, called D. Paulo Evaristo Arns.
The translator of this book, to English, is a man who is the brother of a marxist and (missing) terrorist.The brother of the translator of this bad book was linked to bank robbery, policemen murders and the kidnap of the US's ambassador in Brazil.Among the people who gave order to publish this book, are a enormous group of Bin Laden's fans.
In 1960 decade, an US Army captain , Charles Rodney Chandler was murdered in Brazil.Captain Charles R. Chandler was murdered in front of his wife and children.He was murdered by brazilian marxists, very linked to the people who wrote this trash-book.The translator and american publisher of this trash-book, also don't tell you this thing.In fact, this bad book don't has a single word, about the murdered US Army captain Charles Rodney Chandler.
All the defects that a book could have, are present in this trash-book.Biased?This book is 100% (left)biased.To example, Alberto Mendes Junior was tortured until dead, and than he was buried in unknown place.His body was found only about one year later, when one of his murders was to jail.This book hasn't a single line about Alberto Mendes Junior.Why?Because Alberto Mendes Junior was a policeman, not a marxist or terrorist.At the same time, this book tells a story, about a marxist woman, who claimed that she was tortured.The date that this woman was supposed under arest and tortured, she was free and very good.Both biased and fake.
This book never told you to example, that Fidel Castro(Cuba),Enver Hoxa (Albania), and a short group of marxists dictators gave many millions of US dollars to brazilian marxists.At least 95% of this fortune was robbed by famous brazilian leftists.In fact, brazilian marxists were training guerrilla in Cuba, about 5 five years before the beginning of general's times.Also is true that under Stalin's command, the communist tried a coulp in 1935.This fact also isn't even mentioned in this trash-book.
More than 95% of murders in South America, were made by marxists, under democratic governments.To example, Colombia, who has free elections since XIX century, had more that 1,000 time more murders, by marxists,than Brazil, between 1964-1985.In fact, having about 6% of earth's surface, Brazil had less than 0.01% of muders by marxists in the world between 1964-1985.This book never shows you facts like these.Brazil was saved by generals of going to a marxist based in slave labor, massive murder,etc.
Instead, between 1964-1985, we grew our GDP, about 7% every year.There was censorship in Brazil?Yes, a little.In 1975, the small Brazil's censorship of books and newspaper was over.In fact our general were honests, patriots and good for our people.
These facts aren't showed in this trash-book.It tells about fakes, calunies and fantasies.In other words, this book is a mountain of lies.
Because of marxists and bishops such as D. Paulo Evaristo Arns, brazilian catholic population has ever drop.In 5 brazilians, who go to a church 4, go to a protestant or pentecostal church.In fact, after so many drop in catholic diocese , the Pope John Paul II, send to retirement the fake who gave the order to write, this ridiculous marxist book.