On Monday, Brazil’s government issued a formal apology to the families of victims from the country’s military dictatorship, acknowledging the ongoing pain caused by the unresolved status of numerous remains found in a clandestine mass grave.
The apology reflects a significant step for many families still seeking answers about their loved ones, nearly four decades after the end of the dictatorship.
The discovery of over 1,000 blue bags containing human remains in São Paulo’s Perus district has haunted families since 1990.
Most of these individuals are linked to the political violence of the dictatorship, yet the identification process has been frustratingly slow and inadequate, leaving many in anguish over the uncertainty of their relatives’ fates.
Human Rights Minister Macaé Evaristo emphasized the state’s failure in addressing the identification of the remains.
With only a few families receiving conclusive results about their loved ones, the ongoing efforts to uncover the truth represent a crucial aspect of Brazil’s journey towards justice and reconciliation.