A Christmas message from the Humanitas360 Institute
Dear friends,
On this Christmas Eve, I invite each of you to reflect on Christian love, citizenship, and Justice. The birth of Christ reminds us of His most sublime message: unconditional love, forgiveness, and the unwavering belief that everyone deserves a second chance.
Today, the teams from Humanitas360 Institute and the social business Tereza are at the gates of Tremembé Women’s Penitentiary II, welcoming women in semi-open regimes who, during this holiday season, will have a temporary release to reunite with their families. For these women, this moment represents more than just an opportunity to embrace their loved ones; it is an essential step toward rebuilding their lives, reconnecting with broken bonds, and rediscovering the meaning of belonging.
The so-called “saidinhas” have often been met with misunderstandings and distortions. However, it is important to remember that only individuals in semi-open regimes—already leaving prison daily to work or study and returning to the facility at night—are entitled to this benefit. Far from being an undeserved privilege, these releases are crucial tools for the social reintegration of people who will soon regain their freedom, offering a test of adaptation and a chance to restart their lives.
Unfortunately, these temporary releases during holidays such as Christmas are a frequent target of penal populism, through which unscrupulous politicians gain votes by spreading fear among the population and selling easy yet illusory solutions to the violence that threatens us all. The mass incarceration they advocate only feeds the criminal factions born within prisons by providing them with more workforce.
For all these reasons, as the new year begins, the Humanitas360 Institute will launch a systematic effort to expand the work we are doing today: welcoming women from various São Paulo prison facilities during every temporary release. While the State simply leaves these individuals on the streets and criminal factions gather at prison gates attempting to recruit these women with offers of transportation and other favors, our organization will be there to support, assist, and offer a path away from crime, based on entrepreneurship, empathy, and Christian values.
We live in challenging times in Brazil. Recently, we uncovered the murderous terrorist plot of yet another attempt at democratic rupture. While a privileged few call for amnesty for their acts against the popular will, the same populist and punitive rhetoric continues to deny individuals who have committed common crimes the right to rehabilitation.
The true spirit of Christmas invites us to question these contradictions. Christ, whose birth we celebrate, taught us to value agape love—the love that endures all, forgives all, and believes in the transformative potential of every human being.
When we look at these women, often forgotten and marked by the stigma of incarceration, we find the essence of what it means to be Christian: believing that every life matters, that every person deserves compassion, and that Justice is only complete when tempered with love.
This Christmas, my message is an invitation: let us unite in compassion and solidarity. Together, may we build a fairer society where forgiveness is not a privilege but a universal human right.
May this be a Christmas of reflection, inclusion, and hope.
With affection and wishes for a blessed Christmas,
Patrícia Villela Marino
President of Humanitas360 Institute