“Half a century of Epic Anticommunism”, The Foundation for a Christian Civilization, lnc., New York, 1981, pages 342-343:
Taking advantage of the pre-election climate reigning in Brazil in 19 78, leftist movements capitalized on understandable public discontent, obviously seeking to create tensions, agitation, and class warfare. One of the methods they used to throw urban populations into a trauma was to hold a great number of street demonstrations. This is a classic communist tactic.
ln these circumstances, the TFP released a communique in September, stating:
“Leftist agitators can easily take advantage of the customary TFP activities on the streets and in other public places as a pretext to cause tumults that they will later blame on this Society.
“Furthermore, this pretext would make it easier for them to create problems for the authorities [keeping the peace] while cunningly pretending to have had nothing to do with the incidents.
“This being the communist game at the moment, Prof Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira, President of the National Council of the Brazilian Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, has resolved to order a temporary suspension of TFP activities on streets and in other public places throughout the country. He has sent telegrams to President Ernesto Geisel, Mr. Armando Falcao, Minister of Justice, as well as to the Ministers of the Armed Forces and the Ministers of the EMFA (*) and the SNI (**), informing them of the decision.
“The TFP takes this measure without fear of appearing negligent. It is inspired only by a sagacious and prudent understanding of the present circumstances.
“Furthermore, the TFP has a long history of fearlessness, a fearlessness that has always been displayed within the law. The promoters of a certain propaganda have several times labeled this fearlessness as radicalism or extremism, trying to confound fearlessness within the law with anarchy and subversion.
”How unfortunate Brazil would be if her fearless and orderly sons should retreat before confusing slogans.
“And how lucky Communism would be if it encountered only fearful opponents.”
Once leftist demonstrations on the streets had calmed down, the TFP resumed its normal public activities throughout the country (39).
Notes:
(*) EMFA: Estado Maior das Forças Armadas, that is, General Staff of the Armed Forces. ln Brazil, the Chief of Staff of each of the armed forces is of ministerial rank.
(**) SNI: Serviço Nacional de Informações, that is, National Intelligence Service.
(39) The whole document was published in Folha da Tarde, Sao Paulo, 9-8-78 [and many others newspapers in Brazil]