In the human rights section: law, politics and history in “Coluna do Castello” (1969-1973)

Abstract

From 1962 to 1993, Jornal do Brasil published “Coluna do Castello”, signed by journalist Carlos Castello Branco, one of the most prestigious references of political journalism in the country. It was read by intellectuals, politicians and the military, as well as intelligence and security agents. In this article I analyze how the journalist participated in the debate on human rights in the first years after the AI-5, from 1969 to 1973. From the intersection between law, politics and history, the journalist found ways to publicize violations of rights in the dictatorship. As an intellectual mediator, Castello was engaged in spreading the fundamentals of the rule of law and sought to make intelligible the political-legal principles that guarantee human rights. From the common challenge of resistance to dictatorship through the circulation of reports on human rights violations in the press, it is possible to observe the existence of relations of solidarity and distinction between liberal journalists and left-wing militants.