Customer Reviews

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)

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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.

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.

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.