60 years since the 1964 coup in Brazil | Interview with Ricardo Antonio Souza Mendes

Abstract

Ricardo Antonio de Souza Mendes, a professor at UERJ, analyzes the discussions surrounding the 60th anniversary of the 1964 coup and the current context that encourages understanding of the Latin American right. He notes that the 21st century has brought a significant increase in research on the right, revealing the diversity within this political spectrum. Mendes highlights the importance of recognizing that voices on the dictatorship have diversified, including previously marginalized groups, and criticizes the dichotomous view that characterizes the conflict between state and society. In addition, he points to the relevance of the role of companies in repression during the dictatorship, highlighting the complicity of business in human rights violations. He also mentions the phenomenon of denialism, which has intensified under the Bolsonaro government, requiring historians to revisit and question consolidated themes of history. Mendes emphasizes the need to understand the right as a complex phenomenon and not reduced to simple categories, and highlights the social mobilization of conservative sectors in contexts of political polarization, in addition to the debate on the nomenclature of the dictatorship, which can be classified as civil-military, reflecting the influence of various actors.