Both declared themselves “pardos” to the TSE; Ana Coelho went back and changed it to “white”
Former mayor of Salvador and candidate for governor of Bahia ACM Neto (Union Brazil) and his deputy Ana Coelho (Republicans) received criticism for their self-declaration of race and color in the candidacy records at the Superior Electoral Court. Until Wednesday (14.Sep.2022) both were identified as “browns”.
The candidate for vice on the ticket changed the self-declaration after the Electoral Judicial Investigation Action filed at the Regional Electoral Court of Bahia. The candidate for federal deputy George X (Psol) said that both Ana Coelho and ACM would have committed fraud to receive a larger share of the Electoral Fund, since black candidates can benefit from a special fund.
Ana Coelho’s defense said that there was a “misconception” and has already changed race and color in the TSE system. On the accusation of abuse of economic power, the defense said that “There is not even evidence of exorbitant expenditures for the candidacy of those investigated, not even proof of social repercussion.”
In an interview with TV Bahia last Monday (September 12), ACM Neto was asked about the self-declaration. Journalist Vanderson Nascimento, who is black, asked if it is worth a “reflection” for the candidate, since he is not socially read as pardo. ACM got angry and associated his race with the people of Bahia, who according to him “it is very mixed”. Read the full from the dialog below:
Vanderson Nascimento — “Despite declaring yourself as pardo, you are not socially read with a black person, a pardo person. Do you think it’s worth a reflection, candidate, as this can distort, for example, electoral public policies, for example, quotas for black candidates that don’t exist. There are for women, for example, because the electoral justice realized that there is a decrease in women in politics. There are none for blacks, even more so now when the TSE announces that black candidates surpassed white candidates…”
ACM Neto — “Oh, oh, Vanderson. Come on, who does my social reading as white?”
Vanderson Nascimento — “All of society.”
ACM Neto — “No. Oh wait, wait a minute. Not. I’m asking you here. You said there’s a social reading that I’m white. Who does this social reading? Because I consider myself brown. You can put me next to a white person, there is a big difference, not black. I would never say that.”
Vanderson Nascimento — “It is because, according to the IBGE, pardos and pretos are pretos.”
ACM Neto — “So it’s the IBGE’s mistake, not mine. Simply this. In 2016, I was a candidate for mayor of Salvador, and at that time there was no electoral fund, nor quota, I declared myself brown. I’m very comfortable. I consider myself (brown). The Bahian people are very mixed. Now it’s funny, Rui Costa, governor of Bahia, declared himself brown. The PT vice candidate declared himself brown. Its name is prejudice. I’m a guy who respects everyone. I ruled Salvador in a plural way. It’s how I see myself.”
After the interview, the former mayor of Salvador was one of the most talked about topics on Twitter. Read the main reviews below:
Opponents also produced a video in which they mock ACM Neto’s self-declaration. Watch (54s):
O Power 360 contacted the press office of the candidate for governor of Bahia, but has not yet received a response. The space remains open.
BLACK ARE MAJORITY IN 2022
The percentage of candidacies from black people in the 2022 general elections is the highest since 2014, according to the TSE (Tribunal Superior Eleitoral). This year, 49.49% of candidates declared themselves to be black.
The self-declaration of race in the registration of candidates started in 2014. In that year, 44.24% of the candidates declared themselves to be black. At the next general election in 2018, that number rose to 46.5%. The result considers the sum of pretos and pardos.
Despite being more present, black candidates have less access to campaign resources. According to the TSE, black candidates have so far received just over 25% funds from the Special Campaign Financing Fund.
According to the TSE, the PT, for example, directed just over 64% of the Electoral Fund resources to white candidates.
The TSE establishes that the associations are free to define the criteria for the distribution of resources among the candidates. However, parties must comply with certain provisions of the electoral legislation, such as allocating at least 30% of resources to female candidates, in addition to observing the proportionality of candidates and candidates self-declared black.
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