The Portal da Inconfidência received 120 visits in its first week.
"As determined by the governor, Minas Gerais belongs to everyone, especially its history, and this was achieved by the Official Press in democratizing the information from the records of the Minas Gerais Conspiracy trial. To our satisfaction, the initiative has brought a huge return in terms of views and searches on the website, showing that society has a great interest in knowing and recognizing its roots in this Minas Gerais, the state of freedom," emphasizes the website coordinator and general director of the Official Press, Eugênio Ferraz.
Minas Agency - The Portal da Inconfidência website, a digitized version of the 18th-century manuscript based on the printed edition of the 11 volumes of the Devassa proceedings, published in the 1970s and 80s by the Minas Gerais Official Press, has already received over 120,000 visits, originating from both national and international sources, in less than a week online. The process, originally a manuscript that judged the libertarian movement of the Inconfidência Mineira, can be read and consulted in detail anywhere in the world. There have been inquiries from countries such as the United States and England, among others.
The website portaldainconfidencia.iof.mg.gov.br, launched on Friday (April 17th) in Tiradentes, houses one of the most important moments in Brazilian history and makes available to the public the complete records of the Devassa proceedings, the phases of the judicial process initiated by the Portuguese Crown against the conspirators. The accusations of treason and the sentences of the defendants in the Minas Gerais Conspiracy are described in detail, including audio recordings, in the historical documents.
According to the creator and coordinator of the website and general director of the Official Press, Eugênio Ferraz, the high number of accesses reflects both the steps taken by Governor Fernando Pimentel's administration, his commitment to the transparency of information, and the advancement of democratizing access to documents, which total approximately 5.500 pages.
"As determined by the governor, Minas Gerais belongs to everyone, especially its history, and this was done by the Official Press by democratizing the information from the records of the Minas Gerais Conspiracy trial. To our satisfaction, the initiative has brought a huge return in terms of views and searches on the website, showing that society has a great interest in knowing and recognizing its roots in this Minas Gerais, the state of freedom," Ferraz emphasizes.
For Governor Fernando Pimentel, the Minas Gerais Conspiracy is a true reflection of the spirit that moves Minas Gerais and its people. "The ideal of freedom and the belief that a people can determine their own destiny are at the root of our history. It is, therefore, our duty to ensure that this memory is never lost to time," emphasizes the governor.
Reference for scholars
The website has become a reference point for scholars, researchers, and the academic community worldwide. The platform allows users to view and compare the digitized version, with corrections and adjustments, and the original versions of the volumes published by the Official Press. The Inconfidência Portal also brings together a vast collection of scientific works, doctoral theses, and master's dissertations related to the topic, as well as iconography of historical cities in Minas Gerais, and bibliographies of books, magazines, and newspapers containing related materials.
"The academic community can only celebrate the launch of the website. The content it offers was previously restricted to researchers only, and now it will allow for a broad exploration of Minas Gerais' history, which is of great importance to the country," celebrates Professor Angelo Carrara of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) and president of the Brazilian Association of Researchers in Economic History (Abphe).
"Tiradentes's thoughts, his reflections on the circumstances in which he lived, and the quality of the images are something to be celebrated. It's possible to hear Tiradentes speaking; it's available there, which makes the memory more vivid, facilitating research and learning about this historical period," concludes Angelo Carrara. At UFJF, the Departments of History of Minas Gerais and History of Colonial Brazil also celebrated the launch of the Autos da Devassa (Records of the Investigation) and the material will be included in the university's reference sources.
At the Brazilian Association of Researchers in Economic History (Abphe), one of the objectives is the compilation of archival material on the history of Brazil. In this sense, the records of the investigation will be included in an electronic bulletin to broaden the dissemination and access to documents from the Minas Gerais Conspiracy.
The 11 printed volumes of the Devassa proceedings, in annotated editions, are out of print, with few copies distributed throughout the country's libraries, making consultation difficult. Furthermore, the original manuscripts are located in the National Library in Rio de Janeiro, making the portal's initiative even more relevant.
Launch ceremony
The launch ceremony took place in Largo do Ó, the historical center of Tiradentes, and was conducted by the Secretary of State for Culture, Ângelo Oswaldo, who represented the Governor of the State, Fernando Pimentel. The Secretary recalled that the Inconfidência Mineira investigation is full of history that has not yet been fully deciphered and revealed. "That is why the digitization of the records constitutes an achievement of utmost importance. It enables modern access to the tremendous process that involved the conspirators, encouraging historiographical research and knowledge of history as a living matter of our civic consciousness," he stated.