Brazil: Student actions – Long live the 45 years of the Novembrada!
Featured image: Banner in Florianópolis (“Long live the 45 years of the Novembrada! Long live the combative student movement!”)
On November 21, a banner was hung up at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Florianópolis to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Novembrada, a significant protest against the military dictatorship in Brazil that took place during the visit of President João Figueiredo of the military junta in 1979 and ended up in clashes against the brutal repression of the Military Police. The event was organized by the Maruí Movement and aimed to honor the student’s and worker’s resistance against the military regime. This action followed a series of mobilizations at UFSC, including occupations and protests advocating for the student movement.
In a separate incident on December 4, a professor at the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM) in Manaus made a statement in support of the military regime during the last University Council meeting of the year. His remarks were met with immediate condemnation from other faculty members and students. The professor, who teaches at the Humaitá campus, claimed that Brazil should recognize the advancements of the military regime. Despite the backlash, the university administration remained silent on the matter. The Association of the Faculty at UFAM criticized the professor’s comments, emphasizing the need to reject tyranny and oppression. This incident highlighted a stark contrast to the swift administrative action taken against another professor, Caroline Nogueira, who faced repercussions for providing legal assistance to indigenous peoples opposing imperialist mining.
Both incidents reflect ongoing tensions at Brazilian universities regarding the legacy of the military dictatorship and the role of academic institutions in addressing the history of Brazil.
