Hero or demon? Contrasting images conveyed by the press about marshal Marechal Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon (1910-1914)

ABSTRACT

This article examines the representations of Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon disseminated by the press, situating them within the context of a dispute between the Indian Protection Service and the Catholic Church over the control of indigenous populations, access to state resources, and the public legitimisation of their respective projects. At the heart of this controversy were Rondon, a proponent of a secular indigenist policy guided by positivist principles, and the Salesian priest Antonio Malan, a representative of religious catechesis and Catholic missionary efforts. Both embodied opposing visions of the Republic: on one side, the promotion of secularism and the separation of Church and State; on the other, the defence of traditional religious values and the rejection of so-called “modern errors”. These tensions were amplified by the press, which politicized the debate according to its ideological leanings and economic interests. Within this context, Rondon became the target of an intense campaign of delegitimisation, facing attacks on both his public actions and private life, and being portrayed as an enemy of the Catholic faith and of national traditions.

Keywords:
Marshal Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon; Indian Protection Service; Catholic Church; press