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Imprisoned Seven Times for Opposing the War in VIetnam

According to VNE, Pedro Da Oliveira, Secretary General of the Brazil - Vietnam Friendship Association, is a journalist who was imprisoned seven times for speaking out against the Vietnam War.

In a secret room in São Paulo, 30 students sat in silence as the screen showed B-52 carpet bombings wiping out villages, children burned to death by napalm bombs. “The images were horrifying and haunting. We could not remain indifferent,” recalled journalist Pedro Da Oliveira, now 77, of those clandestine screenings more than half a century ago.

These films were sent by the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam to help the international community better understand the war the United States was waging in Vietnam.

From that point, Pedro and his friends turned small theaters into places where the truth about US military atrocities was shown to students across Brazil

But this path of struggle came at a heavy price: seven prison terms and interrupted studies. In 1968, in his early twenties, he was beaten on the streets of São Paulo during a demonstration on International Workers’ Day. His second arrest came when, as Chairman of the Social Sciences Students’ Association, he screened films about the war in Vietnam.

Journalist and historian Pedro de Oliveira, an international friend who has supported and cherished Vietnam for more than half a century. (Photo: VNE).

In prison, Pedro endured many forms of torture, the most haunting of which was electric shocks. “My body convulsed violently, as if thousands of veins were about to burst. I would faint, only to wake up and be tortured again,” he recalled.

On five other occasions, he was arrested for journalistic activities linked to the communist movement. Under Brazil’s military regime at the time, people could be detained without trial; simply taking to the streets to protest the Vietnam War was enough to be accused of “threatening national security.”

Pedro recounted that many of his comrades never returned. He was fortunate to survive, but the years in and out of prison left indelible marks. After his seventh release, he began delving deeper into international movements, opening a new chapter in his life.

When he immersed himself in Vietnam’s history, Pedro felt he had discovered a “treasure.” “From the resistance against the Mongol invasions, the struggle against the French, to the protracted war against the US, I realized that the resilience of a small nation was the strength that allowed it to defeat the most powerful empires,” he said.

Since then, Vietnam became a source of inspiration for him. Among his published works in Brazilian media, some focused on the period when Nguyen Ai Quoc stopped in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 21, during his journey to seek a way to liberate the nation. In 2022, Pedro’s book “Ho Chi Minh: Life and Career of the Leader of Vietnam’s National Liberation” won First Prize at the 8th National External Information Service Award - an annual national-level award chaired by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Education and the Commission for Mass Mobilization.

When receiving the award, Pedro was moved. Standing on stage at the Opera House, he declared: “I dedicate this prize to the fighters of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam - the ones who sent the films that changed my life forever.”

Deeply Impressed by Vietnam’s Achievements

As Secretary General of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship and Cooperation Association since 2015, journalist and historian Pedro Da Oliveira has not only written and researched but also organized many activities connecting the peoples of the two countries. One notable achievement was the Association’s role in establishing the Brazil-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, with the participation of lawmakers from multiple parties.

Pedro de Oliveira shares his journey of embracing Ho Chi Minh’s ideology at the celebration of the 133rd birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh in Brasilia in 2023. (Photo: VNA).

In early September, this Brazilian friend returned to Vietnam for the fourth time. He was struck by the sight of people camping along the streets, patiently waiting for the parade celebrating the 80th National Day.

Writing in the People's Newspaper, the Brazilian historian emphasized that with his profound knowledge and keen grasp of current affairs, every word and judgment of President Ho Chi Minh was ahead of its time, reflecting extraordinary wisdom and determination. Despite countless hardships, Vietnam’s revolution and struggle for national independence triumphed. President Ho Chi Minh had once affirmed that the Vietnamese people would surely win independence and freedom to build a peaceful, unified, and strong nation - and history has proven this to be true.

Pedro Da Oliveira expressed deep admiration for Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, especially political stability and the steady improvement in people’s lives. He said this was the realization of President Ho Chi Minh’s vision of “a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam that makes a worthy contribution to the global revolutionary cause.”

According to Pedro, these accomplishments were made possible thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Vietnamese people in overcoming immense challenges, rebuilding the country after the war, and embarking on Doi Moi (Renovation) in 1986, which opened the path to today’s dynamic development.

On this occasion, Pedro and several international friends will be received, honored, and commended by the Party and State of Vietnam. He expressed his pride and gratitude for every opportunity to return to the country he loves. Each visit, he said, gives him a chance to gain deeper insights into Vietnam’s history, society, politics, and economy.

“As we prepare for the 16th Congress of the Communist Party of Brazil this October, we regard Vietnam’s experience as a valuable model to learn from,” Pedro shared.

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