In the middle of Rio de Janeiro, I heard...

Uncle Ho's journey in Rio de Janeiro is a story of patriotism, perseverance, and a vision ahead of its time...

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife attended the inauguration ceremony of a commemorative plaque marking President Ho Chi Minh 's journey in Rio de Janeiro, on the occasion of their visit to Brazil for the G20 Summit in November 2024. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

As the Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil, I am honored to continue that spirit by recounting the journey of the patriotic young man Nguyen Tat Thanh to Rio de Janeiro in 1912 – a journey imbued with the aspiration to save the country, possessing an international vision, and closely linked to the process of verifying the location and inaugurating the memorial plaque for him there.

A special gift and a trip

Upon arriving in Brazil for work, I received a special gift from a friend of the Brazilian Communist Party – a book about the Brazilian Communist Party (PCdoB) along with an article about the patriotic young man Nguyen Ai Quoc attending the 1922 International Communist Conference in Moscow, Russia. The article mentioned that he recounted his story to a member of the Brazilian Communist Party in 1912 in Rio de Janeiro. Those simple words inspired me to seek out the historical footsteps.

The year 2024 holds special significance, marking the 50th anniversary of the implementation of President Ho Chi Minh's Last Will and Testament, the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Brazil, and the 134th anniversary of his birth. I've received suggestions to erect statues, build memorials, or paint murals about him. I decided to undertake a field trip to verify the information, both to gather more materials and to prepare for activities welcoming Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Brazil for the G20 Summit. Initially, I didn't have a specific idea in mind; I just wanted to do something meaningful. More importantly, I wanted to go to find, feel, and understand.

In 1911, when the young Nguyen Tat Thanh, with a burning desire to find a way to save his country, boarded the ship L'Amiral Latouche-Tréville as a kitchen assistant. From bustling ports like Oran, Dakar, Alexandria, Boston, to New York, he witnessed the diversity of the world , but also recognized the profound injustices of colonial society. I imagine that, during those days at sea, Nguyen Tat Thanh's eyes were always fixed on his homeland with an intense yearning for national liberation. And then, it was in the city of Rio de Janeiro, an unexpected stop, that a profound mark was left on his revolutionary ideology.

In 1912, due to overwork on the ship, Nguyen Tat Thanh suffered a serious health deterioration and had to disembark in Rio de Janeiro for treatment. I can almost picture that young man, in the tree-lined Santa Teresa neighborhood, seeking shelter in a simple inn. It was there, in just four short months, that he not only recovered his health but also broadened his worldview. Working in a restaurant in the Lapa district, a gathering place for the upper class, yet living among the poor laborers of Santa Teresa, Nguyen Tat Thanh observed the stark social divide between rich and poor in Brazil. The Mangue area, with its harsh lives of immigrant workers, left him with profound reflections on injustice and exploitation.

Here, Nguyen Tat Thanh met José Leandro da Silva, a Black trade union leader who tirelessly fought for the rights of the working class. His conversations with José da Silva strengthened and deepened his ideas about class solidarity and the workers' movement. I felt as if I could hear their lively dialogues about the power of solidarity in the fight against oppression. These experiences were recorded in his article "Solidarité de Classe" (Solidarité de Classe) in Le Paria in 1924, with vivid descriptions of the workers' struggle at the port of Rio de Janeiro, demonstrating his deep connection to the international revolutionary movement.

In late March 2024, I arrived in Rio de Janeiro with pride and a sense of responsibility to verify the historical footprints of President Ho Chi Minh. Accompanying me were my attaché, Nguyen Minh Tai, and dedicated Brazilian friends: Mr. Pedro de Oliveira, a member of the Communist Party, a Brazilian historian, and the General Secretary of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Association; Ms. Marcelle Okuno, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro and a candidate for the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Rio de Janeiro; and Mr. Pedro Gomes Rajão, who has dedicated his life to researching President Ho Chi Minh's journey here. During our three-day trip, we visited the Lapa and Santa Teresa areas, where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Although time has blurred the specific traces, I could still feel the breath of history through every street and every corner.

What remains in the land of Brazil, a land of gratitude.

What moved me most was the respect and admiration the local authorities showed for President Ho Chi Minh. Mr. Lucas Padilha, Chairman of the G20 Committee of the city, shared with us about the film O Rio de Janeiro de Ho Chi Minh (Rio de Janeiro of Ho Chi Minh) (2010), a work that vividly recreates his journey. In addition, the Deputy Mayor of the city, Nilton Caldeira, promised to support the Embassy in coordinating commemorative activities, so that the story of Uncle Ho continues to spread in this South American land.

There was no prior plan, but after on-site verification and consultation with embassy staff, we unanimously decided to place a commemorative plaque about President Ho Chi Minh's journey in Rio de Janeiro. The selection of location, design, and implementation was a process of careful consideration, lobbying, and coordination. After reporting back to Vietnam, supplementing the project, and discussing with local authorities, we chose the train station in the Santa Teresa area – where President Ho Chi Minh once lived, a busy area with ancient trees providing shade behind the plaque.

During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Rio de Janeiro for the G20 Summit (November 2024), the Embassy, ​​in coordination with relevant authorities, organized the unveiling of a commemorative plaque marking President Ho Chi Minh's journey in Rio, as a symbol of solidarity and close ties between the two nations. This activity is part of the series of events for Vietnam Day Abroad.

The following year, to commemorate the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth, the Embassy organized a ceremony to offer incense at the commemorative beach during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to the BRICS Summit (July 2025).

It can be said that President Ho Chi Minh's trip to Rio de Janeiro was not only a personal milestone but also laid the foundation for the friendly relations between Vietnam and Brazil today. From these historical ties, the two countries have built a strong friendship, marked by the upgrading of their relationship to a Strategic Partnership.

Looking back on 80 years of construction and development, the Vietnamese diplomatic sector is increasingly proud of the values ​​that President Ho Chi Minh laid the foundation for. From a patriotic young man who spent 30 years traveling abroad searching for a way to save the country, he sowed the seeds of peace, solidarity, and international cooperation. Today, one of those seeds has borne fruit, demonstrated by the increasingly deep relationship between Vietnam and Brazil in the fields of economics, trade, science and technology, culture, sports, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

President Ho Chi Minh's journey in Rio de Janeiro is a story of patriotism, unwavering will, and visionary foresight. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnamese diplomatic service and the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth, the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil is determined to continue spreading these values, so that the story of President Ho Chi Minh is not only a source of national pride but also an inspiration to international friends, especially in the hospitable land of Brazil.

President Ho Chi Minh's presence in Rio de Janeiro is also a vivid testament to the spirit of proactive, creative diplomacy, daring to think and act. Sometimes, a small idea, if nurtured with unity, perseverance, and persistence, can create great achievements. For every diplomat, it is important to know how to explore, learn, and listen to even the smallest details to transform them into concrete, practical, and far-reaching results. This is also how we continue to follow the revolutionary light that President Ho Chi Minh kindled more than a century ago, not only in our homeland of Vietnam, but also in the foreign land of Rio de Janeiro.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/giua-rio-de-janeiro-toi-nghe-thay-324384.html