MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian authorities need to tackle bias against Afro-descendants

Afro-Brazilian people are particularly targeted by private security guards out of sheer bias

Brazilian authorities are considering tougher measures against racism following a new incident at a Carrefour supermarket, it was reported.

The Government's initiative is a response to the images disclosed last weekend on social networks in which an Afro-Brazilian couple is insulted. Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida said in a note Monday that he intends to discuss the issue with the Justice Office and the Federal Police a “regulation of security companies in Brazil”.

Almeida also proposed “the criminal liability of companies for discriminatory practices” and anticipated that he will activate the National Committee to Prevent and Combat Torture to “take measures” on the latest cases of racism.

He also met with parliamentary leaders to ask them to speed up the processing of bills that address this type of discriminatory practice.

According to the images released last weekend on social networks, an Afro-Brazilian couple is insulted and assaulted by alleged private security guards at the premises of a Carrefour store, in the city of Salvador.

The video was recorded by the security personnel themselves, who arrested the man and the woman for allegedly stealing some packets of powdered milk for their daughter.

CENAS FORTES: casal é agredido por suspeita de furto de leite!
Grupo Carrefour mantém o RACISMO!
Foi em Salvador, no Big Bom Preço. pic.twitter.com/SS2j7TYLoX

— Verdade Sem Manipulação (@verdadesemmanip) May 7, 2023

The Civil Police has opened an investigation into the case.

Carrefour Brazil informed in a note sent to local media that it had dismissed the store's security team and that the contract with the company that performed these functions had been terminated.

However, for Almeida, “more rigid” measures are necessary because “these companies have known for a long time what should be done”.

The minister also indicated that he “does not rule out” opening a line of dialogue “with representatives of the sector” to address the issue.

Last month, an Afro-Brazilian teacher accused a security guard of following her while she was shopping in a store of the Atacadao network, which belongs to Carrefour, and, by way of protest, she remained in her underwear to show that she was not stealing anything.

After that episode, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has already publicly warned Carrefour's management that they “do not admit racism” in his country. “If they want to do this in their country of origin, let them do it, but, in this country, we will not admit racism,” he said at a ministerial meeting.