The Fight for Acknowledgment: Families Revisit Brazil's Dark Dictatorship Era

Tessa Moura Lacerda, a philosophy professor, highlights her emotional journey to rectify her father's death certificate, acknowledging the state's role in his torture and death during Brazil's military dictatorship. The broader implications of these personal narratives reveal a fragmented society grappling with its traumatic past.

Tessa Moura Lacerda has spent years seeking acknowledgment of her father’s tragic death during Brazil's military dictatorship, a fight that culminated in August 2019 when she finally held the corrected death certificate in her hands. The document now accurately describes her father's death as "an unnatural, violent death caused by the State to a missing person" during the regime that lasted from 1964 to 1985.

Her father, Gildo Macedo Lacerda, was one of many whose lives were claimed by the brutal methods of a government that systematically targeted dissent. The national truth commission reported over 434 cases of killings and disappearances during this dark period. Tessa's family was part of a leftist movement opposing the military rule, leading to their arrest in 1973. While her mother, Mariluce, survived after being subjected to torture, Gildo was not as fortunate, disappearing shortly after their detainment.

The somber reality of his death was obscured by government narratives that misled the public, framing him as having died in a criminal altercation, rather than acknowledging the state-sponsored violence behind his disappearance. For decades, Tessa's family grappled with the implications of Gildo's absence. Tessa shared that emotion shaped her childhood, filled with fears and fantasies regarding her father’s fate. As time passed, it became clear that the absence of his body and proper recognition created a psychological burden that loomed throughout her life.

The journey toward recognizing her father's death was fraught with bureaucracy. Tessa had to fight for her identity; for years, her birth certificate did not recognize Gildo as her father. The correction of the death certificate was not only essential for Tessa’s healing but also a way to honor all victims of state violence. Brazil has since begun acknowledging more victims, particularly under the current leadership of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Recently, the national conversation surrounding the dictatorship has gained momentum, highlighted by a new film titled "I'm Still Here". This film, portraying the struggles of those left behind by the state, resonated deeply with audiences as it brought personal accounts of trauma and loss back into public discourse. Many families that have suffered similar fates express a collective sense of grief and the need for historical acknowledgment.

Despite progress, challenges remain, as an amnesty law shields past military officials from prosecution and a formal apology has yet to be issued by the government. Tessa believes that recognizing history is crucial to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, arguing that if society does not address these wounds, they risk remaining unresolved.

The road to healing and justice for Tessa and others like her is far from complete. As she passionately stated, “I will not stop fighting until the end of my days.” The determination to finally lay to rest a father who was taken too soon is a journey shared by many families still waiting for justice and closure in Brazil’s ongoing struggle with its past.