Departures of note

Maria Amélia de Almeida Teles, known as Amelinha Teles, was born in Contagem, Minas Gerais, and became a prominent feminist and human-rights activist. A militant of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCdoB), she opposed the military dictatorship (1964-1985) and was arrested in 1972, when she was tortured at the DOI-Codi center in São Paulo by Army Major Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra. Her husband César Augusto Teles and fellow militant Carlos Nicolau Danielli were also detained; she witnessed Danielli's murder, while her two young children were kidnapped and forced to watch their parents' torture.

After the dictatorship, Amelinha became one of the leading voices denouncing state repression and was active in the Commission of Families of the Dead and Disappeared. She also became a writer and feminist intellectual, publishing works including "Contos da Cela Três", a collection of memories written while imprisoned in 1973, as well as "Breve História do Feminismo no Brasil" and "O Que São os Direitos Humanos das Mulheres?". Her testimony and writing contributed significantly to the struggle for truth, justice, and accountability for crimes committed during the dictatorship.

She died at age 81, with her death announced by friends on social media on 15 September 2026.