Anos Rebeldes

Anos Rebeldes (Rebel Years) was a popular telenovela which first aired on the Brazilian television Rede Globo on July 14, 1992. It was the first serial drama to highlight themes and stories of political violence and the repressed who were under the military regime. There are many themes that were first introduced to Brazilian television with this show including themes of censorship, cultural memory, and torture. This television program was set in the authoritarian regime of the 1960s and portrayed the time period through the lives of a group of high school students who had to come of age in this era. This group of students are friends who all go to the college Pedro II in 1964. The show focuses on João, and Maria Lúcia, two lovers whose opposite political views cause an ongoing struggle between identity and love. João, an idealist, eventually joins the armed struggle, while Maria Lúcia is an individualist who has little tolerance for the risks attached to the leftist social fight against the dictator’s regime.

Other Characters include:

Following the coup d’etat of the Brazilian Armed Forces over left-wing President João Goulart in 1964, Brazil was governed by a military dictatorship until 1985. The authoritarian regime justified its actions throughout the time period by arguing that they were operating under the need to promote National Security. Rede Globo, the popular Brazilian television network launched in 1965, was a staunch supporter of the authoritarian military regime in Brazil during its first two decades of existence. Globo backed the regime while censoring information about the tortures, murders, and “disappearances” that were taking place under the administration. Roberto Marinho, Globo’s founder, justified this censorship by arguing that it was “a good thing when it comes to [fighting] terrorism”. Although Globo generally praised the regime, it is important to note that Globo hired writers who were outspoken in their opposition to the government and Marinho himself came out against the regime on occasion. Nonetheless, Globo’s allegiance to the military governments allowed them to conduct an illegal joint business opportunity with the Time-Life Corporation, which provided them with financial benefits and advantages over other networks. The network’s close ties to the generals also gave Globo special consideration during the allocation of licenses and advertising deals that were funded by the state. After the military gave up control of the government in 1985, Globo had seemingly created a monopoly over the Brazilian television industry. To this day it is regarded as the chief television network in Brazil in terms of audience ratings and revenues generated from advertisements. In 1992, Globo became the first Brazilian television network to condemn the military dictatorship on prime-time television with the advent of “Anos Rebeldes”.

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