Diante da Medusa: : a Comissão Especial sobre Mortos e Desaparecidos Políticos e a construção da vítima da Ditadura civil-militar

The text analyzes the emergence and operation of the Special Commission on Political Dead and Disappeared, established under Law No. 9,140/95 during President Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s administration, tasked with recognizing the State’s responsibility in politically motivated deaths and disappearances during the military dictatorship. It addresses the commission’s member selection process, the short timeframe for filing claims, the limited official disclosure, and the historical engagement of families and organizations. It also explores how a “death accounting” system was consolidated through preexisting lists, excluding potentially marginalized groups, and presents controversies and divergences in specific rulings, such as the Zuzu Angel case. Finally, it highlights how these initiatives for financial and moral reparations faced ideological disputes and selective memory.