Carter tricked the military regime into receiving reports of dictatorship crimes

Dom Paulo would not limit himself to the memorandum. Another letter delivered by the Brazilian to Carter was a secret appeal signed by him, the Asian cardinal Stephen Sou Huan Kim and the African bishop Donald Lamont.

In the document, religious leaders warned that they would no longer remain silent in the face of the economic and political oppression experienced by “entire countries”. “We cannot remain silent, nor do we want to, while daily bread and personal dignity are denied to certain levels of people and even entire nations,” they warned.

“We cannot remain silent, nor do we want to, while people are condemned because of their religious and political convictions,” they said. “We cannot remain silent, nor do we want to, while ideologies are used as weapons to enslave human beings,” they warned. Religious people also criticized the “institutionalized torture” that exists “all over the world”.

The document also concludes with a direct attack on the United States. “We cannot remain silent, nor do we want to, while the selfishness of some countries and groups prevent the construction of a more humane world, in which each person can live with dignity”, they concluded.

Dom Paulo ended the conversation by giving gifts to Carter, his wife and his daughter, Amy.

Carter spoke about the “beauty of Brazilian women” with cardinal

The conversation took on a relaxed tone when the American president insisted to the cardinal about the beauty of Brazilian women. It was Amy’s turn, however, to rebuke the American president, her own father. “Dad, you already said that yesterday”, he criticized. Carter assured his daughter that First Lady Rosalynn remained the most beautiful woman.