MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Thousands protest in Rio against religious discrimination

Macaé Evaristo said that “the great challenge today in our country is to reduce inequality”

Thousands paraded down Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana Beach to raise their voices as cases of religious intolerance were reported to be on the rise. According to local media, the demonstrators stemmed from more than a dozen faiths, mainly Afro-Brazilian ones, that have come under attack from Christian groups. Newly chosen Human Rights Minister Macaé Evaristo joined the march.

“The great challenge today in our country is to reduce inequality,” Evaristo told Agencia Brasil. “So for me, it is very important to be present in this march, because the people here are also struggling for many things like decent work and a life free from hunger,” she added.

While most neo-Pentecostal religions growing exponentially in the State of Rio de Janeiro are said to be peaceful, a surge of intolerance for traditional African-influenced religions has also been detected among many evangelical Christianity in the region, with attacks ranging from verbal abuse and discrimination to destruction of temples and forced expulsion from neighborhoods.

“Everything that comes from Black people, everything that comes from people of African origin is devalued; if we are not firm in our faith, we will lose strength,” said Vania Vieira, a practitioner of the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé quoted by The Associated Press. “This walk is to show that we are standing, that we will survive.”

Between 2018 and 2023, an increase of 140% was recorded in the number of religious intolerance complaints nationwide despite the Penal Code providing for up to five years in jail for these trespassers.