Rubens Paiva's death certificate is corrected, pointing to the State's responsibility during the dictatorship.
Document acknowledges violent death caused by the military regime.
247 - The death certificate of Rubens Paiva, a former federal deputy who disappeared during the Brazilian military dictatorship, has been officially corrected to acknowledge that his death was caused violently by the Brazilian state in the context of political repression. The change complies with a ruling by the National Council of Justice (CNJ), issued in December 2024, which requires registry offices to review documents of people who died or disappeared for political reasons. The information was revealed by TV Globo and confirmed by [source missing]. Folha de S. Paul.
In the new version, the document describes the cause of death as "unnatural; violent; caused by the Brazilian State in the context of the systematic persecution of the population identified as political dissidents of the dictatorial regime established in 1964." Until then, the certificate issued by the Sé registry office in São Paulo was limited to stating that Rubens Paiva had been missing since 1971, without any mention of the circumstances or the responsibility of the military regime.
The correction represents a milestone in the fight for memory and truth, a central theme in the film "I'm Still Here," directed by Walter Salles and based on the book of the same name by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, son of the former congressman. The film, starring Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, and Fernanda Montenegro, portrays the story of Eunice Paiva, Marcelo's mother, and the family's search for answers after Rubens Paiva's disappearance.
The Brazilian film has gained international attention. On Thursday (23), Fernanda Torres was nominated for an Oscar for best actress for her role in the film, which is also competing in the categories of best film and best international film. The nomination reinforces the relevance of the subject matter and keeps alive the memory of the victims of the military dictatorship, as well as reigniting debates about justice and historical reparation.
