By Leonardo Boff*
The deaths perpetrated by the dictatorship cannot be forgotten, as their blood cries out to heaven and demands justice. These people were under the custody of the State, which has the duty to safeguard their lives, regardless of the reasons for their arrest.
On March 31, 1964, our democracy received a mortal blow. A dictatorial State was implanted, the result of a civil-military coup. In order to maintain itself, it had to set up security and repression bodies that arrested, kidnapped, tortured, disappeared and murdered many people. These deaths cannot be forgotten, as their blood cries out to heaven and demands justice. These people were under the custody of the State, which has the duty to safeguard their lives, regardless of the reasons for their arrest.
On this March 31st, let us awaken the memory of these victims and, above all, let us strengthen our democracy. It is being threatened by an extreme right-wing government with authoritarian practices. Apparently, we live in post-democratic times, as the Constitution and laws are often disrespected.
CONCLAMATION:
Each one in their apartments or houses, living in confinement, make some demonstration in favor of democracy, with noises, flags, cries for democracy, songs and other signs to show our indignation and vigilance.
In a situation of the coronavirus pandemic, we are all called to live solidarity, care for one another, the generosity of humanitarian gestures of help, especially for the most vulnerable.
Perplexed, we follow the bad example of the current President who behaves in clear disobedience to what was agreed by the Government itself, leaving confinement, mixing with the people and urging people to go out to the streets and go back to work. Such a gesture could exponentially spread the coronavirus and cause a collapse in the health system.
Despite these irresponsible gestures, we will live and subsist, because life has always shown itself, in all the decimations of the past, to be resistant and to survive. Yet again, Mother Earth will have compassion on her affected sons and daughters and she will save us. Christians believe that God “is the passionate lover of life” (Wisdom 11,26:XNUMX) and will not allow this humanitarian crisis to claim too many and countless lives.
*Leonardo Boff He is a theologian, philosopher and writer.
