The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, today expressed her concern about the situation of fundamental freedoms in Brazil, where “recent cases of police violence and structural racism are worrying.”
Bachelet was especially alarmed by the threats that environmental activists and indigenous peoples have received in that country, including people who have denounced illegal gold mining practices that are harmful to their health.
Brazil was one of the countries mentioned by Bachelet at the opening of the fiftieth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in which she reviewed the situation of fundamental freedoms in the world in recent months.
The former Chilean president also denounced recent attacks in Brazil against political leaders, including legislators and candidates for the general elections in October, “particularly those of African descent, women and LGTBI+ people”.
Bachelet cited Brazil as an example of a country where civic space is being reduced, along with others such as Russia or Tajikistan.
You may also be interested in:
–Michelle Bachelet will not seek a second term as High Commissioner for Human Rights of the UN
– Ángela Jeria Gómez, mother of former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, dies
–Michelle Bachelet asks not to criminalize immigrants