{"id":71385,"date":"2022-08-05T10:27:25","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T13:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=71385"},"modified":"2025-09-13T14:07:46","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T17:07:46","slug":"marielle-francos-birthday-is-celebrated-with-the-inauguration-of-the-councilwomans-statue-and-an-open-session-by-black-women-at-the-buraco-do-lume-in-central-rio-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=71385","title":{"rendered":"Marielle Franco\u2019s Birthday Is Celebrated with the Inauguration of the Councilwoman’s Statue and an Open Session by Black Women at the Buraco do Lume, in Central Rio [IMAGES]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

On July 27, 2022, on what would have been her 43rd birthday, a statue of Councilwoman Marielle Franco<\/a> sculpted by artist Edgar Duvivier was inaugurated<\/a> at the Buraco do Lume. The square is a historic space for parliamentary action in central Rio de Janeiro, a few kilometers from where the councilwoman was assassinated on March 14, 2018.<\/p>\n

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As part of the plan to immortalize Franco\u2019s memory<\/a>, the councilwoman’s life-size bronze statue, built at 1.75 meters, was inaugurated by the Marielle Franco Institute<\/a> with support from the Mayor’s Office in a ceremony attended by hundreds of people at the Buraco do Lume<\/a> in Central Rio. The ceremony began at 5pm at this traditional meeting place for Rio\u2019s local political life, presenting the city with the first monument dedicated to the memory of the councilwoman who was born and raised in the favelas of Complexo da Mar\u00e9. Franco\u2019s mother, lawyer Marinete da Silva, was one of the first speakers, followed by other family members, her fellow PSOL political party members, and other significant figures from local social movements<\/a> and the Black Movement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany people knew Marielle from the talks she gave here, holding her actions accountable to her voters\u2026 speaking about everything that she supported or opposed. Today could have been a different birthday. We could have been cutting many cakes, having a good party, but unfortunately, here we are\u2026 there is a before and an after my daughter\u2026 She is a turning point. My daughter wasn’t murdered at random: there was something she fought for\u2026 we\u2019re here to say that Marielle will always be with us and that with this monument, she will never be forgotten.\u201d \u2014 Marinete da Silva\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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“The [Buraco do] Lume is a place of resistance\u2026 Marielle was here every Friday at noon making herself accountable for her work. This is a very symbolic place: it was a part of her life\u2019s work. It\u2019s good that we have reached 2022 still resisting<\/a>. In a society that is extremely racist<\/a>, we have a statue of Marielle Franco to remind us of the world we want to build\u2026 This is a very exciting moment. I can\u2019t speak without overflowing with the happiness that Marielle\u2019s memory deserves, but also full of pain at her absence\u2026 Seeing a square full of people like this conveys the message that Marielle\u2019s death\u2014and life\u2014was not in vain.\u201d \u2014 M\u00f4nica Ben\u00edcio<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Franco\u2019s father, Ant\u00f4nio Francisco da Silva Neto, made a short but very incisive speech. He highlighted that, in his opinion, the masterminds behind his daughter\u2019s murder can only be uncovered through political change at the ballot box, which might come from the 2022 elections.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI’m very grateful to everyone here today. We really need you. We have the opportunity to change the politics of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. I believe that, with this change, we can get to those who ordered my daughter’s murder. We need the people here to help us by voting.\u201d \u2014 Ant\u00f4nio Francisco da Silva Neto<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Neto ended his speech by recalling how much he misses his daughter, who was beloved by her family since she was still in her mother’s womb. \u201cMarielle\u2019s birth 43 years ago was a moment of great joy for me. She was my first daughter, eagerly awaited by her mother,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Next, Anielle Franco<\/a>, director of the Marielle Franco Institute<\/a>, declared she had made a public commitment to her sister\u2019s memory from the moment she learned she had been murdered. She recalled the \u201ccrucial support that black women have given to actions in the name of Marielle\u2019s legacy<\/a>, such as Marcelle Decoth\u00e9<\/a>, L\u00facia Xavier<\/a>, and Jurema Werneck<\/a>, among many others.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Beginning an open session on memory and legacy taught by black women, Anielle turned the floor over to Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye<\/a>, an inspiring 17-year-old black activist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Inaugura\u00e7\u00e3o da Est\u00e1tua da Marielle Franco no RJ! Hoje, anivers\u00e1rio dela, \u00e9 mais do que necess\u00e1rio relembrar a mem\u00f3ria de mulheres incr\u00edveis como ela. pic.twitter.com\/ezpJ5mrB6G<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Fatou Ndiaye | #RENAISSANCE (@fatouoficial) July 27, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n