The fight for Amnesty in the Brazilian military regime: the constitution of civil society and the construction of citizenship

Abstract

This article explores the meanings of the amnesty in the Brazilian military regime constructed by the “Movements of Amnesty” and inquires why it was considered as a conquest as it was not “ample, general and unrestricted” as the movement wanted. The analysis of the meanings of that movement shows that the demanded amnesty was defined as “amnesty of the Brazilian people”. Beyond demanding the attainment of the amnesty, those movements had participated of the dissemination of a new language of rights, through the interaction with other civil associations and social movements, that were articulated in the construction of the public to contend the authoritarian rule. That meeting between the two movements is investigated in the relation among the amnesty´s movement and the women´s movement.