Justice ordered the change of names of avenues 31 de Março and Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, which refer to the military regime; Vila Mussolini, which pays homage to fascism, should also undergo changes
The São Paulo Court ordered the City of São Bernardo do Campo, in Greater ABC, to change, within 180 days, the names of two avenues that refer to the 1964 military regime and a village that pays homage to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The order applies to Avenida 31 de Março, Avenida Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco and Vila Mussolini.
The decision was handed down on November 24 by judge Julio Cesar Medeiros Carneiro, of the 1st Public Finance Court, in response to a popular action filed by lawyer Jaime Luís Fregel Colarte Castiglioni, member of the Human Rights Commission of the OAB of São Bernardo. He argued that the tributes violate constitutional principles, such as the dignity of the human person, the Democratic Rule of Law, political pluralism and the right to memory and truth.
For the magistrate, keeping names linked to authoritarian regimes and figures involved in human rights violations perpetuates symbols incompatible with democratic values and undermines the educational function of public goods. The sentence also states that the municipality’s failure to respond to requests for change constitutes an injury to administrative morality and historical-cultural heritage.
The replacement of names must be done at no cost to residents and accompanied by a communication and public consultation plan. The city hall was also ordered to pay R$2,000 in legal fees. In a statement, the municipal administration said it will appeal. “The municipality will take the appropriate measures after the appeal is judged,” declared the city hall. The decision is not yet final and may be modified by the São Paulo Court of Justice if the São Bernardo administration is successful in the appeal.
Origin of the names that will be changed
- Vila Mussolini – created in 1928, it was named in honor of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini (1883–1945), according to documents from the municipality’s Department of Culture.
- Avenida 31 de Março – reference to the date of the 1964 military coup, treated in decrees at the time as “redemption of the Brazilian people”.
- Avenida Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco – tribute to the marshal who was the first president of the military regime and appointed by the National Truth Commission as responsible for violations of fundamental rights.
*Report produced with the help of AI
