The Public Archives and the Access to Information: Interview with Jaime Antunes

Abstract

When he retired in January 2016 Jaime Antunes da Silva left a considerable legacy to the National Archives. He was 23 years ahead of the institution's General Directorate and over 50 as a career employee. At the same time he did not fail to commit himself to teaching and other activities of equal importance, acting as Professor of History in the State University of Rio de Janeiro, as Director of Archives of the Brazilian Historical and Geographical Institute and in the Presidency of National Council of Archives and the Latin American Association of Archives. In an interview given generously to the Revista Maracanan we had the opportunity to discover a little of this professional trajectory and the political backstage that permeated the construction of archival legislation in Brazil. He told us, in detail, about the elaboration of the Law on Archives and the Law on Access to Information, two mechanisms of fundamental importance for the community of researchers in particular and for society in general. Through the intricate network of information and the documentation of the police apparatus of the repressive organs of the Military Dictatorship. In addition we were presented with a brief overview of the organization of the documentary heritage of the country. Taking the State and the city of Rio de Janeiro as a case study based on data from the Federal Comptroller General. Finally Antunes enters into the question controversy of digital repositories and the tragic idea of destruction the phisic documents. It is an account of history and memory, emphasizing the importance and usefulness of the sources in the writing of history and in the Brazilian public administration.