Lula fires human rights minister amid sexual misconduct allegations

Silvio Almeida is not Brazil’s human rights minister. The choice comes after he was accused of sexual misconduct in opposition to an undisclosed variety of victims — which would come with Anielle Franco, Brazil’s racial equality minister.

Brazil’s Presidential Ethics Committee will examine the sexual misconduct complaints. Federal Police Chief Andrei Rodrigues has additionally pledged to provoke an investigation.

Me Too Brazil, a company that helps victims of sexual violence, confirmed to press shops that it was contacted by girls who reported alleged episodes of sexual harassment dedicated by Mr. Almeida. Metrópoles, a information web site, talked to 14 folks with information of the allegations. 

“The federal authorities acknowledges the seriousness of the allegations. The case is being dealt with with the rigor and pace that conditions involving attainable violence in opposition to girls require,” says an announcement from the presidential workplace.

First Girl Rosângela da Silva on Friday printed on Instagram a photograph with Ms. Franco, which many noticed as a sign that Mr. Almeida could also be on his means out of the federal government. That notion was consolidated after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated “it [was] not attainable” for somebody accused of sexual misconduct to stay within the authorities.

The Girls’s Rights Ministry on Friday morning endorsed the investigations on Mr. Almeida.

Mr. Almeida “vehemently repudiated” all accusations in an announcement of his personal. “There may be as soon as once more a gaggle making an attempt to erase and diminish our existence, attributing to me the conduct they carry. With that, Brazil, the human rights agenda, racial equality, and the Brazilian folks lose.”

The human rights minister stated he would search the courtroom system to make clear the accusations from Me Too Brazil. “All accusations should be investigated rigorously, however for that to occur, the info should be uncovered. And so they should not be based mostly on lies, with out proof.”

The Human Rights Ministry has one of many smallest budgets throughout the authorities. Initially of the 12 months, Mr. Almeida was criticized for failing to spend money on areas he deemed as priorities when taking workplace — corresponding to defending marginalized teenagers and youngsters and selling LGBTQ rights.

His division did tally a latest win, with the recreation of a fee on political disappearances.