Bolsonaro Calls “Fight for Equality” and “Social Justice” Efforts to Import Racial Tension

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In his speech on Saturday, November 21st, during the G20 conference – the group comprising the countries with the world’s largest economies – President Jair Bolsonaro once again rejected racism in Brazil, saying that there are “attempts to import tensions into our territory that are alien to our history.”

According to Bolsonaro, “the fight for equality” or “social justice” are merely attempts to destroy the affection conquered by the miscegenation of whites, blacks and indigenous in the country, by replacing it with conflict, resentment, hatred and division between races. “Everything in search of power”, according to the Presidential logic.

Bolsonaro opened his address – allegedly directed to other world leaders – covering the topic, which gained ground after the brutal death of the 40-year-old black man João Alberto Silveira Freitas, after being beaten by security guards at a Carrefour supermarket store in Porto Alegre on Thursday night, the eve of Black Awareness Day.

The beating was filmed and sparked unrest on social media, triggering a number of protest in Brazil, as well as in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte and the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. On Saturday morning, a group of artists from São Paulo left a print of the overall feeling on Paulista Avenue, in bold letters, with the sentence Black Lives Matter.

However, Bolsonaro did not mention João Alberto’s name in his speech, apparently more directed to the domestic public than to the foreign one – something that has become a common practice in his government.

Several excerpts from his speech were identical to the content he had published on social media on Friday after the murder -particularly the passages where he says “we are a mixed-race people. Whites, blacks and indigenous have built the body and spirit of a rich and wonderful people. In a single Brazilian family we can behold a greater diversity than whole countries.”

Next, Bolsonaro accused the existence of “interests” to “create tensions among us” -ignoring the structural racism present in Brazilian society. According to the President’s perspective, “a united people is a sovereign people. If divided, it is vulnerable. And a vulnerable people can be more easily controlled and subdued.”

The President’s speech also echoes the remarks of his vice-president General Hamilton Mourão, who described João Alberto’s death as “regrettable,” but denied that Brazil is a racist country, although the victim was black and the perpetrators were white. “I say to you in all peace of mind: there is no racism. I say this to you because I lived in the United States. Racism is there. (…) Here there is inequality,” he said.

Covid-19 and WTO

Throughout the rest of his speech, Bolsonaro spoke about the novel coronavirus pandemic. He said that “together, we are overcoming one of the most serious health crises in recent history. We are defeating the uncertainties, the logistical challenges and even misinformation.” On Friday, Brazil passed the six million Covid-19 infections mark.

According to the Ministry of Health’s official report, the death toll stands at 168,613 since the start of the pandemic. However, according to the President, “as the pandemic is overcome in Brazil, people’s lives are returning to normal and the prospects for economic rebound are becoming more positive and tangible,” he said.

The Brazilian President also stated that “Brazil has joined international efforts in the search for effective and safe Covid-19 vaccines, as well as adopting early treatment in the fight against the disease” – although this week the Ministry of Health excluded the Chinese Coronavac vaccine – manufactured by Sinovac laboratory in partnership with the São Paulo State Government’s Butantan Institute – from a potential drug purchase agreement.

Last week, the National Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) paralyzed trials in São Paulo for two days because of the death of a volunteer. The death had no relation with the vaccine, as it was learned afterwards – it had been a suicide. Bolsonaro is currently a political opponent of São Paulo governor João Doria.

The Brazilian President again argued that the vaccine against Covid-19 should be optional – a point that he has been emphasizing in speeches, in opposition to Doria’s opinion, who advocates the mandatory use of the drug.

“We must emphasize that we also stand for the freedom of each individual to decide whether or not to take the vaccine. The pandemic can not be used as a justification for attacks on individual freedoms,” said Bolsonaro.

At the end of his speech, Bolsonaro also called for a reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which would become a key element in the recovery of the world economy. “We want the ambition to reduce subsidies for agricultural goods to rely on the same willingness with which some countries seek to promote trade in industrial goods,” he said, calling for the creation of fair and balanced conditions for international trade, not only in goods but also in services.

“I propose that our Ministers discuss and share the best practices on how to address this issue, while preventing falling into the trap of subsidies and policies that distort international trade,” he added.

Source: El Pais