Crucified by Chesf

Abuses of power of the Military-Business Dictatorship in the construction of the Itaparica Hydroelectric Plant, 1976-1975

Abstract

In 1976, residents of the Itaparica waterfall region in Brazil's northeastern sertão faced pressure and threats to vacate their homes due to the plans of the state-owned Companhia Hidrelétrica do São Francisco (Chesf) to construct a hydroelectric plant. The company employed authoritarian tactics, even involving the Brazilian Army to forcibly remove the inhabitants. This article delves into the violence employed by Chesf through the testimonies of the displaced, who collectively organized resistance against corporate and military dictatorship, producing various printed materials, including reports and newspapers.