At the European Union, Brazilian organizations denounce Bolsonaro's attacks on the electoral system
Trip includes meetings in Brussels, Madrid, Geneva, Paris and Rome
Initiative comes after meetings held in July with congressmen and other US authorities in Washington DC
A group of 11 Brazilian civil society organizations, including the WBO (Washington Brazil Office), started this Thursday (9) a series of meetings in Brussels, Belgium, with members of the European Parliament and other local political interlocutors to denounce the increase in political violence in Brazil and President Jair Bolsonaro's attacks on the electoral system.
The European tour, which runs until the end of September and includes visits to Geneva, Madrid, Paris and Rome, has the same objective as the visit that the WBO organized between July 24 and 29 to Washington for 19 representatives of Brazilian organizations to alert interlocutors in the US to the attacks on democracy in Brazil and to ask for quick recognition of the result of the October presidential elections, whoever the winner is, to reduce the risk of unfounded challenges.
"Bolsonaro's attacks on the Brazilian electoral system worry democrats around the world. What we noticed here in Europe, and we had already noticed in the similar dialogues we had in July, in Washington, is the international community's concern about the fate of democracy in Brazil. The gradual destruction of Brazilian democratic institutions, attacks on political opponents, the press, the environment, justice and human rights are not only aggressions against those who live inside Brazil, but to anyone in the world who perceives the interdependence that exists in this field. That is why there is so much attention and concern about the moment that our country is going through"
Paulo Abrão, executive director of the WBO, which is part of the group that is in Europe this month of September.
In meetings with members of the High Commissioner of the European Union and at the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council (United Nations), Brazilians will also ask that the international community recognize the results of the elections.
With the presence of several organizations representing Brazilian civil society, the delegation in Europe aims to increase the network of international support for the results of the October election and the reliability of the electoral process.
The group will also expose the risks to the Democratic Rule of Law promoted by Bolsonaro and some of his supporters, as well as the advancement of the curtailment of civil and democratic liberties. In addition, they will emphasize that, in a country where 56% of the population is black, there is no democracy with racism.
As a result of the work of international articulation of the entities, which intensified in the Brazilian electoral context, the agenda with the European Union and the UN takes place between September 5th and 23rd. Brazilian participants will denounce, on stages of wide international repercussion, episodes of political violence and attacks by Jair Bolsonaro on the electoral system.
SCHEDULE
The activities in Brussels, headquarters of the European Union, include a meeting, on 09/08, with José Manuel Fernandes, head of the European Union – Brazil delegation at the European Parliament.
Another highlight of the period in Europe is the participation of Brazilians, on 09/13, in the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva. On the occasion, they will denounce political violence, institutional racism, attacks on the electoral system and human rights violations in the Brazilian electoral context, with the participation of diplomatic missions from different countries and UN special rapporteurs.
Check out the organizations present in the activities in Europe:
Abong - Brazilian Association of Non-Governmental Organizations
ABGLT - Brazilian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Transsexual and Intersex Association
Educational Action
ANTRA - National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals
Article 19
CEERT - Center for the Study of Labor Relations and Inequalities
CAF - Common Action Forum
Arns Commission
Conectas Human Rights
MTST - Homeless Workers Movement
Cipó Platform
WBO - Washington Brazil Office
