SUICIDE NOTE OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT GETÚLIO VARGAS
Mauricio Marzano
One of the most important facts of Latin American History is
commemmorating 50 years this Aug/24th: I mean the suicide of the
Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas in the top of a military (alway
them) crisis that drove him to death. But as a very wise politician he
left a suicide note that became one of the most important documents of
recent Brazilian History, accusing those responsible for his suicide
and aborting and postponing the military dictatorship by at least ten
years.
I could not find any English version of this letter in Internet, than
I decided to translate myself the document. I would like to address
everybody's attention that the original text in Portuguese is much
more dramatic and tragic and is written in a poem like style that took
the Brazilian people to the streets to face the militaries and support
the democracy. I would like also to stress that the main role in the
military crisis was due to the Brazilian Air Force, another dark page
in the military history in Brazil: It was the first time torture was
employed in a military headquarter in Brazil.
The translation of the suicide note follows:
SUICIDE NOTE OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT GETÚLIO VARGAS
Once more, the powers and the anti-people interests joined together
and they both fall both upon my head again. I am not accused, I am
insulted; I am not opposed by, I am fakely charged, and I am not given
the sacred right to defend myself. My voice must be choked, so as I
cannot defend, as always I have been done, the Brazilian people,
mainly the humble people.
I follow my destiny as set ahead. After decades of being ruled and
exploited by the International Economical and Financial Groups, I
turned myself leader of a revolution and I won. I started them the
work of national liberation and I installed the social welfare regime.
I was obliged to resign, but I returned back to office supported by
the Brazilian people's arms.
International Groups, working out an underground campaign, allied to
Domestic Groups both revolted against the labor law. The extra profit
bill was withstood in the National Congress. Hatred was raised against
the fair correction of the national minimum wages. I decided to
upgrade the national freedom through PETROBRÁS, the National Brazilian
Oil Company, and it hardly starts to work and a rioting wave grows
against it. ELETROBRAS, the National Electrical Power Company, has
been despairely hindered.
They do not want the Brazilian Worker to be free. They do not want the
Brazilian People to be free. I took office with raising inflation
destroying the value of the salaries. Foreign companies achieved
profits of 500% per year. More than one hundred million US dollar
frauds in importing operations were unveiled. The coffee crisis came
up, increasing our main product value. We tried to defend its price
and the response was a violent strike against our economy, obliging us
to withdraw.
I have been struggling month after month, day after day, hour after
hour, withstanding a constant, never-ending pressure, silently bearing
everything, forgetting everything, resigning to myself, all that to
defend the people that now do fall aside unsupported. I have nothing
to give to the people, but my own blood. Should the meat-eating birds
want to suck someone's blood, want to suck the Brazilian people, I do
offer my life in holocaus to the people.
I chose that way to be always with you. When you suffer humiliation
you shall feel my soul suffering beside you. When famine hits your
door, you shall feel in your chest the energy to struggle not only for
yourself but also for your children. When you are offended, you shall
feel in your thoughts the power for reaction. My sacrifice shall keep
you joined together and my name shall be your fight banner. Each drip
of my blood shall be an immortal flame on your conscience and shall
keep the sacred vibration to resist. To the odium I respond with the
mercy. And to those thinking to have defeated me, I do respond with my
victory.
I have been the people's slave and today I am getting my liberty to
the everlasting life. But the people, whom I have been slave of, shall
not be anybody's slave again. My sacrifice shall stay forever in their
soul and my blood shall be the price of their rescue. I fought against
Brazil's exploitation. I fought against the Brazilian people's
mistreatment. I have been fighting without weapons. The hatred, the
lies, the fake deeds, nothing took me down. I do fear nothing. Firmly
and softly I step forward the eternity, leaving life to go into
History.
Getúlio Vargas, Rio de Janeiro, Aug/24th/2004
David Holiman
Mr. Marzano,
Thanks to you, I know something about Getulio Vargas.
I was introduced to his name in Rio de Janeiro as the
"Avenida Getulio Vargas." So his letter to the people
became a famous Brasilenho historical document.
Here is another such case. Dr.Jose Rizal was imprisoned
by the Spaniards in Manila about 105 years ago because he
supported the Independence of the Philippines. Dr. Rizal
was liquidated by his captors.
His last letter
to the people is called "Mi ultimo adios." It is as
beautiful as the letter of Getulio Vargas. It can be
seen and read in a park in Manila. It is engraved in a
bronze cast resembling an open book. The bronze is
polished regularly and is perpetually guarded by soldiers
of the Philippine Constabulary. I think the park is called
"Luneta."
DAVID H.
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