Dom Odilo supports the name of PUC-SP rector in the subway – 10/30/2023 – Panel

Archbishop of São Paulo, Cardinal Dom Odilo Scherer decided to support a bill that proposes that the PUC-Cardoso de Almeida metro station, in Perdizes, which should begin operating from 2025, be named after professor Nadir Kfouri (1913 -2011), who was rector of PUC-SP.

Scherer, who is also grand chancellor of PUC-SP, stated that the professor held the position of rector at an important moment of demonstrations in favor of the country’s redemocratization and that the institution paid “an expensive price” for its stance “in favor of democracy at that time.”

Authored by state deputy Beth Sahão (PT-SP), the project is a counterpoint to the decision of governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos-SP) to enact a tribute to Colonel Erasmo Dias, an exponent of the military dictatorship who went on to give his name to a road interchange in Paraguaçu Paulista, the city in the interior of São Paulo where he was born.

In one of the best-known episodes of his career, Nadir Kfouri, the first woman rector of a Catholic university in the world, confronted the colonel, who commanded the invasion of the educational institution on September 22, 1977.

She refused to shake Dias’ hand, a scene that was photographed and had widespread repercussions at the time. She later filed a criminal complaint against the Public Security Secretariat for the invasion and damage to the facilities.

In her role, the rector worked to resist the military dictatorship, hiring and protecting teachers persecuted by the exception regime.

The invasion of PUC-SP commanded by him was the last major operation of the military regime (1964-1985) against the student movement. On the occasion, students held a public act for the reorganization of UNE (National Union of Students).

The action resulted in the arrest of 854 people, taken to the Tobias de Aguiar Battalion. Of them, 92 were registered with Deops (State Department of Political and Social Order of São Paulo) and 42 ended up being prosecuted under the National Security Law, accused of subversion.

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