In Argentina, Silvio Almeida argues that human rights should be a matter of state policy.

Brazil of Fact - The new Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship should promote ties with the international community, especially in Latin America, understanding the problems and experiences they share. This was the first point highlighted by Minister Silvio Almeida regarding the objectives of his administration at the head of the ministry, during the 3rd World Human Rights Forum this Wednesday (March 22nd) in Buenos Aires.

During a brief visit to Argentina, the minister participated in the panel "The struggle of peoples for dignity in new democratic contexts," alongside the Undersecretaries of Human Rights of Colombia, Juan Manuel Morales, and Chile, Xavier Altamirano Molina, and the Secretary of Human Rights of Argentina, Horacio Pietragalla.

"One of the objectives of the Brazilian Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, which I have the honor, by appointment of President Lula, to lead, is precisely to strengthen ties with the international community, and especially and necessarily with the countries of Latin America," the minister emphasized.

“This is one of the fundamental objectives so that we can, at the same time, ensure that the very notion of humanity, which was the basis for the construction of politics and the very idea of ​​human rights, comes to encompass what [Ailton] Krenak says are the people who were left out of the club of humanity. A club to which we were not invited, and which we entered because we forced the door open,” he emphasized. “In fact, what marks our Latin American identity is precisely this: the struggle, the resistance.”

Another point cited as a management objective by Silvio Almeida was the establishment of a standard of conduct at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in order to follow the guidelines, determinations, and judgments of the IACHR. This involved creating "instances for the amicable settlement of international disputes" while ensuring respect for sovereignty on the international stage.

The third point was the institutionalization of human rights policies, so that "it is not just a government policy, but a state policy." To this end, it seeks the involvement of all other ministries and to strengthen the defense of public service.

“Brazil has gone through another tragedy in the last 4 years, and we had essential public policies saved by a stable bureaucratic body. For example, the career civil servants in the Ministry of Health, who saved healthcare in Brazil,” he said, followed by enthusiastic applause. He also cited career civil servants in environmental policy who prevented the genocide of indigenous peoples from being greater, in the case of Funai.

"Look, we need to consider how important defending public service is and how important it is to have career civil servants," he concluded.

To that end, the minister plans to launch a public participation seminar "to discuss the ideal model of public administration to advance a human rights policy," from the bureaucratic structure to the budget. "How should we organize the State and its institutions to promote human rights? What do we need for that?" he cited as some of the guiding questions.

Almeida also highlighted the goal of bringing the debate on human rights closer to the economic debate.

“These are housing and social assistance policies, but also employment and income policies, and health policies. We have to coordinate with other ministers,” he said. “We need a serious discussion about business and human rights. We have to discuss this issue,” he said, followed again by applause.

Shared Interests

The meeting took place at the Forum's main headquarters, the former ESMA building, which was recovered by Argentine human rights organizations and functioned as a clandestine detention center during the dictatorship, when it operated as the Naval Mechanics School.

The minister said he was inspired by the bilateral talks, especially by learning more about the public policies and movements for reparations for crimes against humanity committed during the dictatorship in Argentina.

"I realize that the national human rights policy of each of our countries has a fundamental aspect, which is the fight against one of the most visible and perverse effects of the colonial legacy: dictatorial regimes," he said. "However, I want to propose a reflection on the need to always look back at our starting point so that we can overcome it."

In this sense, he highlighted what he called three structural consonants that mark a shared history in the countries of the region: the direct legacy of colonialism, inequality; authoritarianism, averse to popular participation in political processes; and racism.

“Our countries have racism as a fundamental element in the formation of sociopolitical hierarchies,” said the minister. “I often say – half jokingly, but partly scientifically – that colonialism, inequality, and invasions made essential the creation of an element that did not exist in Latin America: the white person.”

“It was fundamental to create this type of parameterization of racial relations in order to facilitate the processes of domination, to naturalize inequality, and to make the murder of indigenous peoples and Black people on our continent commonplace,” Almeida stated, highlighting that these references are found in documents and even foundational novels of the countries.

Marielle Franco in pictures

At the end of his Wednesday trip to Buenos Aires, Minister Silvio Almeida attended the launch event for the book Marielle Franco – a photobiography, at Parque da Memória, another space dedicated to remembering the victims of the Argentine dictatorship, on the banks of the Rio de la Plata. 

Monica Benicio, city councilwoman of Rio de Janeiro and widow of Marielle Franco, was also present at the event, organized by the Brazilian community in Buenos Aires, through the activist collective Passarinho.

“To speak of this woman who becomes a symbol is to understand the importance of this construction of memory and what the image represents in this sense,” said Monica Benicio during the event. She recounted that Marielle liked to take photos, unlike her, and that these are the memories that remain of Marielle. “We cannot speak of justice without memory, nor can we speak of the construction of truth without memory.” She also referred to the painted walls and graffiti of Marielle Franco around the world.

In his closing remarks, Minister Silvio Almeida cited the tragedy of the murdered councilwoman within a context of institutional and social degradation in Brazilian society.

“This event is the culmination of all the problems of our Latin America,” said the minister, referring to the assassination of Marielle Franco. “There is no justice without memory, that’s true. But I learned something very beautiful today: there is no memory without justice. Because, for there to be memory, we need to rebuild the processes of reparation and establish an unwavering commitment to doing justice.”