In the center of the city of Recife on the banks of the Capibaribe river stands a haunting sculpture that depicts a man undergoing excruciating torture. This sculpture was created by the artist and architect Demetrio Albuquerque and serves as a memorial to the victims of torture and oppression of the three-decade-long Brazilian military dictatorship. It is estimated that over 20,000 people were tortured by the military and secret police agencies (the ABIN and the SNI) during the decades of the Brazilian dictatorship (1964-1985). Many of those tortured were activists involved in…
