The Judicial System and Human Rights: (São Paulo, Brazil, 1980-1990)

The goal of this paper is to present some data concerning the role that the state plays in the persistence of gross human rights violations in Brazil. It starts with a presentation of the data from the Gross Human Rights Violations database that was produced in order to identify and select high profile cases for reconstruction. It situates the cases within the broader picture of the growth of violence in São Paulo (Brazil) and describes the action of death squads in the state of São Paulo from the 80’s until 1996 and the actions taken by the state, according to the press. The growth of gross human rights violations takes place in a democratic transition that coincides with a dramatic shift in the role that the state plays in the economy, with an economic crisis that resulted in budget cuts that affected every aspect of collective life. This picture provides the background against which the role of the state is examined.