Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro denounces the Pope's abandonment of the social agenda.
Former coordinator of the National Truth Commission, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, recounts in an article published in the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper his meeting with Pope Francis, when he was accompanied by Mariete Franco (mother of the murdered councilwoman Marielle Franco), Carol Proner (professor of international law at UFRJ), and Cibeli Kuss (Lutheran pastor). Pinheiro reports that the Pope listened attentively to discussions about the abandonment of the Brazilian social agenda and the corresponding data on social regression, such as the increase in infant mortality.
247 - Former coordinator of the National Truth Commission, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, recounts in an article published in the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper his meeting with Pope Francis, when he was accompanied by Mariete Franco (mother of the murdered councilwoman Marielle Franco), Carol Proner (professor of international law at UFRJ), and Cibeli Kuss (Lutheran pastor). Pinheiro reports that the Pope listened attentively to the discussion about the abandonment of the Brazilian social agenda and the corresponding data on social regression, such as the increase in infant mortality.
Read excerpts from the article written by Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro:
"Economic and social rights restricted by the spending cap amendment and labor reform. Civil and political rights threatened by the weakening of the Disarmament Statute, the re-empowerment of the military, the return of Military Justice for common crimes committed by military personnel, and the imprisonment of professors in federal universities. Protection of the environment, indigenous peoples, and the fight against racism practically abandoned. Profound changes in public policies never before legitimized by elections. I emphasize the risks created when an agenda of social, economic, and political inclusion—such as that established by the 1988 Constitution and the state policy of human rights—is abandoned.
(…)
It is in this context that Brazil is heading towards an election in which one of the main candidates, former president Lula, could be unfairly excluded. He has been systematically silenced by the interference of the Judiciary, which has assumed the role of political protagonist. The conservative forces predominant in the Judiciary ensure protection for the governing political groups affected by accusations. Overcoming the crisis will take time. Rebuilding the space for dialogue and trust in state institutions are now even more difficult tasks than before. What inspirations can we seek? Tension and regression are not unique to Brazil. It is difficult to find a country where restrictions on rights have not been discussed or implemented. Similarly, voices of hatred are proliferating.
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