Does Brazil Have a Black Lives Matter Movement?
English Language Resources to Help You Understand Brazil's Movement against Black Genocide
This is a question that most Americans ask me about Brazil. Some people even ask me to talk about how the American Black Lives Matter movement has “influenced” or “inspired” Brazil.
In short, yes there is a Black Lives Matter Movement in Brazil, but it hasn't historically been referred to as “BLM.” Brazil has always had its own homegrown anti-police violence movement led by Black Social Movement and favela activists.
Brazil’s Black Social Movement has always had a platform dedicated to fighting the “genocide against Black People.” Black leader Abdias Nascimento explained this theory in his book, Brazil, mixture or massacre? Essays in the genocide of a Black people. When Black Brazilians refer to a "genocide,” they are referring to a three-fold process—the physical, the culture and the knowledge—that attempts to erase black people and blackness from Brazil. Police violence falls underneath the physical genocide. Allyne Andrade e Silva, the deputy executive director of the Brazil Human Rights Fund, explained this somewhat complex theory in my video interview with her.
So if you go to a protest against police violence in Brazil, there will ALWAYS be protesters with signs referring to a GENOCIDE. When you look at the numbers, it's definitely a genocide. In the last five years, the number of people killed by police has tripled from more than 2,000 to more than 6,000. Experts estimate that 80% of the victims are black. And these are just the reported statistics. So the real numbers are much higher.
I've been to countless protests against police violence and black genocide held by Brazil’s Black Social Movement (and the groups that compose it) and favela activists. In reality, Brazilians have only in the last three, or four years began actively using the #vidasnegrasimportam (Black Lives Matter) hashtag and slogan. Last Sunday there were several massive anti-racist & anti-police violence marches across Brazil. Protesters used both the #VidasNegrasImportam hashtag and genocídio (genocide) words. But these might be the first protests in which #VidasnegrasmImportam overtook the genocide messaging.
I have compiled some English language resources that will help you to understand how black people die at the hands of police in Brazil and how Black Brazilians are mobilizing against this genocide.
Brazil's police violence takes place in favela communities and impoverished suburban communities. These communities are majority black. This scene plays over and over in these communities: Police enter as if they are going to war (huge guns, caverões, which are massive bullet-proof trucks) on operations to kill the "drug traffickers. In reality, they see every young black man in a favela or suburban community as a drug trafficker. So black men die in high numbers regardless of their involvement. When there are shootouts, women, children, and older residents often die from stray bullets. Police are brought to court only in the most egregious offenses ( massacres) or those with proof (video). In general, they enjoy impunity.
There's a famous song by a black samba singer, Elza Soares - A Carne Negra. In this song, she sings about how "black meat" is the cheapest in the market.
Brazilians don't value black life.
To jump start your education, please read this article comparing Brazil to the U.S. written by Dr. Stephanie Reist.
Some caveats about the links below:
These are English-language resources. I realize that some of the resources and articles may lack depth and nuance. So over the next two weeks, I will compile a list of Portuguese resources to understanding the issues and the movement.
While the articles below focus on the deaths caused by the state or the government, there is widespread harassment that we must also remember. My recent article about hair for Black Brazilian men talked about the widespread harassment that black men face.
The majority of police murders are young black men. But black women also suffer as well. This article by Dr. Christen A. Smith is a good introduction to how Black Brazilian women suffer in this genocide as well.
Black Lives Matter Movement & Movement Against Black Genocide?
The articles below attempt to compare Brazil's anti-Black Genocide movement with the Black Lives Matter movement. Some hit hard and some fall flat.
Why America's Protests Resonate so deeply in Brazil | America's Quarterly (2020)
This article does an excellent job of framing Brazil's history, black movements and police violence in the context of the American movement. READ THIS NOW!
Battling Anti-Black Genocide in Brazil | NACLA (2018)
Dr. Christen A Smith is an expert on Brazil’s anti-black and anti-police violence grassroots organizations. Her work focuses on Bahia, Brazil’s blackest state. This article is a great introduction to the anti-Black genocide work of black orgs in Brazil and as a bonus, it juxtaposes it with the Black Lives Matter work in the United States. A MUST Read (but it costs $17).
Why the Black Lives Matter Movement Hasn’t Taken off in Brazil | Brazilian Report (2020)
Bruno Rico is a well-known writer and activist in Brazil. He blames Brazil’s lack of a fully developed Black Lives Matter movement on the inability of Black Brazilians to see themselves as one group. Lots of people will disagree with him, but I think we have to keep this in mind.
How the Black Lives Matter Movement Made it To Brazil | Al Jazeera (2015)
During the Baltimore Freddie Gray protests in the US, Black Expat Nia Nicole was living in Salvador. Journalist Jihan Hafiz captures this cultural connection through police violence.
Why Brazil has no Black Lives Matter Movement | Washington Post (2015)
I’m including this article because it’s the Washington Post and often is a reference when people talk about the Black Lives Matter in Brazil. Please read this article critically. While it brings up valid points, it did not give due space to the existing Anti-Black Genocide grassroots movement in Brazil.
The Data: What Do The Numbers Say?
The numbers paint a dire picture. And it’s only getting worse with the influence of the extreme-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
UN Campaign warns about violence against Black People | Agencia Brasil (2017)
A young black man dies from from violence every 23 minutes in Brazil. This number includes all violent deaths and not just those perpetuated by police. Remember this number.
Rio violence: Police killings reach record high in 2019 | BBC (2020)
From 2012 until 2019, the number of people killed by Rio de Janeiro police yearly quadrupled from over 400 to 1,700 people. To put this in perspective, about 1000 people were killed by police in ALL of America in 2018.
Murders in Brazil fell 10%, but police are killing more | Folha de São Paulo (2020)
In 2018, Brazilian police killed 6,220 people. It is estimated that 75-80% of the people assassinated are black.
Brazil’s Violence Map Shows Alarming Trends | Brazilian Report (2019)
Every year the Institute for Applied Economic Research releases a violence map of Brazil. The maps show trends in violent murders by race, gender, geographical region, and age. For the last 10 years, murder rates of blacks has increased, while they have decreased for whites. This mean Brazil is getting safer for whites and it’s getting more dangerous for blacks.
The People We Will Always Remember
Brazil’s police kill more than 6,000 people a year. The list below is not representative of who dies at the hands of the police. In reality, it represents a list of people who captured the attention of media and the public. News television and newspapers rarely share detailed personal info on young black men, most of whom are labeled “drug traffickers,” without proof of their involvement in drug trafficking. Click on links in the headings.
João Pedro (2020)
I became aware of João Pedro’s disappearance in real time through twitter. Social media organized to find him, and he was found at a morgue the next day. The 14-year old was shot during an operation in which police shot 72 times into his aunt's house. This case has surprisingly (to me) captured national and worldwide attention.
Agatha (2019)
A policeman killed Agatha, an eight-year old girl, when he started shooting at a motorcycle in her neighborhood. Agatha was sitting in a commuter van with her mother. She lived in Alemão, where the Coletivo Papo Reto works.
Marielle Franco | The Root (2018)
Marielle Franco, a black Brazilian councilwoman who fought for the rights of blacks, women and the poor, was viscously assassinated by a former cop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 14 of 2018. The reaction to her murder led to a slew of black women being elected in the 2018 state elections.
Pedro Gonzaga | The Guardian (2019)
Adolescent Pedro Gonzaga was strangled by a supermarket security guard in 2019. Since his case was so similar to that of Eric Garner, Black activists began use the chants and messaging normally found in American Black Lives Matters protests (I can't Breath, Black Lives Matters).
Cabula massacre (Salvador) (2015)
A police officer in Salvador was shot in a foot during an altercation. So in retaliation, several police officers shot and killed 12 young black men in the Cabula neighborhood. Journalist Jihan Hafiz covered the aftermath of the chacina in detail. Mass killings of young black men in Salvador have been happening for decades. Christen Smith did extensive research on them.
111 Shots/Chacina de Costa Barros (2015)
Five young black males (20 and under) were celebrating a friend’s first paycheck. When they returned home by car, policemen shot up the car with 111 shots, killing all five. Police in Brazil can shoot when they feel they are danger because they are protected by the autos de resistencia law. You can also watch The Police Killing documentary on Amazon Prime to understand this massacre and the law that protects police.
Candelária massacre
Rio de Janeiro's Candalaria Massacre captured the world’s attention but it is not an exception. In the early 1990s, street children congregated and often slept in front of the Candalaria church in downtown Rio de Janeiro. On July 23, 1993, police officers shot up a group of 70 street kids, killing eight of them.
Vigário Geral Massacre
In 1993, a police death squad went on a rampage in a Rio suburban neighborhood, killing 21 innocent people. The massacre led to the founding of the group, AfroReggae.
The Police
Interesting fact: Historically the police and the military has been two of the extremely few ways that Blacks could ascend to middle class in Brazil.
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
History of Rio de Janeiro’s Police | RioonWatch (2014)
Easy read on history of Rio de Janeiro’s police. Brazil’s police (with its army-like structure) was established in Rio de Janeiro with the arrival of the Portuguese Royal Crown in 1809. Its duty was to protect the elite and repress the enslaved and the poor—which it still does today. At the time half of Rio’s population was enslaved. Today, half of Rio’s population is black.
Rethinking Police Violence in Brazil: Unmasking the Public Secret of Race
Brazil's military police has a significant black population in cities like São Paulo, Rio and Salvador. This well-researched academic article explains how black police reinforce racism against Blacks. Even so, they still lack the respect of the majority white politicians and civil society.
“License to Kill”: Inside Rio’s Record Year of Police Killings| New York Times (2020)
Even the New York Time wrote about the Rio police’s record year of killing.
The Groups Fighting Against Police Violence & Black Genocide
There are many more organizations but this is a good start. I am definitely looking for more organizations outside of the Rio/São Paulo/Salvador trifecta.
Papo Reto Coletivo
This collective, based in favela complex of Alemão, uses digital cell phones and social media to counter mainstream narratives, document abuses, and report police violence. Read this longform story about their work. The collective has become so influential that it always promotes the work of organizations throughout Brazil.
Reaja ou Seja Mortx! - React Or Die
Salvador is a city full of black empowerment cultural organizations, but Reaja ou Seja Mortx! focuses on the dangerous work that many orgs don’t want to touch—fighting black genocide and police violence. The org also holds an annual International March against the Genocide of Black People.
Favelas Na Luta
This Rio de Janeiro coalition of activists from favelas and impoverished suburbs is fighting against the assassination of black people. The organization came about during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Rio de Janeiro’s governor encouraged federal and local police to launch operations on favela communities. This resulted in 45 percent increase in the number of people killed by police. Look out for this group. They are doing big things.
Mães de Maio
More than 500 people were killed in São Paulo in May of 2006, when a war broke out between the PCC gang and police. Most of the deaths were committed by police in execution style. Later that year, a group of mothers who lost sons organized themselves to demand justice. Today Mães de Maio has chapters throughout Brazil and hosts an annual meetings. This article from their 2017 meeting in Rio is a great overview of its platform.
Justiça Global
This non-profit uses research, international courts and NGOs to denounce the violence against blacks in Brazil. Together with Reajá ou Será Mortx!, the group brought a formal complaint against Brazil to the Organization of the American States.
Anistia Internacional Brazil Chapter
In 2014, Amnesty International Brazil launched a successful awareness campaign to call attention to the violent death rates of young black men in Brazil. Three years later, the UN did a similar campaign called Vidas Negras. This work has brought widespread attention to the issues and has helped grassroots organizations to promote their work against violence nationally and internationally.
Coalizão Negra por Direitos
Coalizão Negra por Direitos brings together 100 Brazilian black organizations in a coalition and the fight against the Black Genocide is one of its main platforms. The group recently led a digital demonstration in support of João Pedro. Its new campaign is called #alvosdegenocidio. Unfortunately, the campaign is not in English. The coalition has also been in contact with Black Lives Matters groups in the U.S.
Mães de Manguinhos
Manguinhos is a favela community in Rio de Janeiro that has been ravaged by police violence so much that the mothers whose kids were murdered formed their own organization to fight for justice. Most of the mothers are black women. I have seen these women everywhere in Rio de Janeiro—protest marches, court cases, meetings, television, & international NGOs.
Deep Dive: English Language Books
If you have some free time, then do a deep dive into Black genocide, Black resistance and police violence with these books.
Afro-Paradise: Blackness, Violence & Performance in Brazil
Dr. Christen A. Smith writes about Black resistance against police violence in a way that gives humanity to black people. Her work on Reajá ou Sera Mortx! and Choque Cultural is some of the most detailed analysis of grassroots anti-Black genocide groups to date.
Christen A. Smith argues that the dialectic of glorified representations of black bodies and subsequent state repression reinforces Brazil's racially hierarchal society. Interpreting the violence as both institutional and performative, Smith follows a grassroots movement and social protest theater troupe in their campaigns against racial violence. As Smith reveals, economies of black pain and suffering form the backdrop for the staged, scripted, and choreographed afro-paradise that dazzles visitors.
The Anti-Black City: Police Terror and Black Urban Life in Brazil
I haven’t read this book yet, but its thesis sounds about right.
The Anti-Black City reveals the violent and racist ideologies that underlie state fantasies of order and urban peace in modern Brazil. Illustrating how “governing through death” has become the dominant means for managing and controlling ethnic populations in the neoliberal state, Jaime Amparo Alves shows that these tactics only lead to more marginalization, criminality, and violence.
Never Meant to Survive: Genocide and Utopias in Black Diaspora Communities
Dr. João Costa Vargas is one of the most cited U.S.-based academics on race theory in Brazil.
In Never Meant to Survive, Costa Vargas presents a historical, political, and social assessment of anti-black genocide and liberatory struggles to resist it. Through examination of two cities linked by common experiences of Blackness, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro, the book identifies anti-black genocide as a prevailing force in organizing individuals and groups across society. Costa Vargas approaches his analysis of anti-black genocide in these cities through discussion of past conflicts and the work of groups like the Black Panther Party.
Wow! Did you make it through this entire post? I'm sorry! I'll try to make my upcoming posts shorter!
This post with all its resources and recommended readings was beautifully long. Don't make your next post shorter. Make it as long as it needs to be.