Brazilian government representatives are using their president’s first trip to Europe since his election to promote awareness of and combat the racial prejudice that Brazilians encounter in Portugal and other countries.
One of the representatives that traveled with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was Anielle Franco, Brazil’s minister of Racial Equality. Her objective was to open a dialogue about racism.
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Franco shared with reporters, alluding to centuries of Black people’s racial subjugation, “We’re not going to be able to solve 523 years of problems in just one visit, but I hope we can move forward because that’s why we’re here.”
Marielle Franco, a Black councilwoman in Rio de Janeiro who battled for racial justice and was assassinated in 2018, is the sister of Franco.
Lula declared his intention to combat racism and Brazil’s history of slavery when he ran for office. Almost 6 million Africans were transported into slavery aboard Portuguese ships. The majority traveled to Brazil.
Portugal must address its colonial past and involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, according to Europe’s leading human rights organization, in order to combat racism and prejudice in the nation.
Franco posted on Instagram, encouraging her audience “to build a future without forgetting the debts of the past,” she added, “Let’s build a future where cooperation is mutual between countries to seek justice and reparation.”
The Lisbon-based immigrant advocacy group Casa do Brasil said there were more instances of discrimination against Brazilians in Portugal in a letter it sent to Lula on Sunday.
Approximately 300,000 Brazilians live in Portugal; according to research by Casa do Brasil, 91% of them have experienced some form of prejudice when trying to use public services.
On Saturday, Franco spoke with Ana Catarina Mendes, minister of parliamentary affairs for Portugal, on strategies for addressing racial inequality.
A nationwide plan of action to eliminate racism was agreed upon by both governments.
“We need to make it happen,” Franco remarked.
