The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro decided to revoke the "honoris causa" doctorate title that had been granted to António de Oliveira Salazar in 1941, 85 years ago. The institution justified the decision by considering that the honorific distinction is not compatible with the democratic, academic, and constitutional values that currently guide the university.
Salazar was head of the Council of Ministers of Portugal during the Estado Novo period, an authoritarian regime that lasted from 1933 to 1974. The title had been awarded more than eight decades ago, at a time when the relationships between Brazilian academic institutions and the Portuguese regime were different.
The UFRJ's decision is part of a broader movement to review titles and recognitions that glorify figures associated with authoritarian regimes. Several Brazilian and international universities have been examining and, in some cases, revoking honors granted to dictators and leaders of repressive regimes.
The removal of the title represents a clear institutional position by the university regarding its current democratic identity, marking a symbolic rupture with decisions made during different historical periods.
