This article analyzes the attack to a group of workers in 1972 in the sugarcane farm known as Matipurana, in the city of Escada, Pernambuco, Brazil. The main target of this violence was the brothers Luís Inocêncio Barreto, José Inocêncio Barreto e João Inocêncio Barreto, who were the leaders of a legal action against the farmer under the Labour Law together with other 71 workers. After winning the suit these workers were persecuted by the farmer and the police and military authorities. This article analyzes a series of documents found in the DOPS-PE archive as well as an interview with one of the brothers who survived the attack.
violence; Work Justice; Military Regime; Pernambuco; Brazil.