Brazil’s human rights minister accused of sexual harassment: several women accuse him, while he says the accusations are ‘lies’

Brazil’s Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship, Silvio Almeida, was accused on Thursday of sexual harassment by several women through the Me Too organization.

Almeida denied the accusations, which he considered “lies” from a “campaign” to damage his “image as a black man in a prominent position in the public sector.”

However, the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva acknowledged the “seriousness” of the allegations and opened an investigation by the Presidential Ethics Commission.

“The case is being handled with the rigor and speed required in situations of possible violence against women,” it said in a statement.

Complaints against the Brazilian minister

Me Too Brazil revealed this Thursday that it had received “allegations of sexual harassment” against Almeida, in office since the beginning of Lula’s third government in January 2023.

The women “were assisted through the organization’s service channels and received psychological and legal support,” said the NGO, which did not specify names or the number of complainants or the type of aggression or the time when it occurred, information that “is confidential,” it said.

The organization, which fights against harassment, said in a statement that Women had difficulties in “obtaining institutional support to validate their complaints.”

Because of these pitfalls, considered by Me Too to be frequent in cases of sexual violence involving aggressors in positions of power, the complainants approved disclosure of the matter in the press.

The accusations against Almeida, first reported by the Metrópoles website, allegedly include another minister in Lula’s government: Minister for Racial Equality Anielle Franco, who did not confirm the information, although the first lady of Brazil, Rosângela da Silva, published an image on social media in support of Franco.

Almeida’s response

Almeida, a 48-year-old lawyer and university professor, “absolutely vehemently” repudiated the accusations, demanded the alleged evidence against him and said he would ask the Ministry of Justice, the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) and the prosecutor’s office to investigate.

“Any complaint must be investigated to the fullest extent of the law, but the facts must be exposed in order to be investigated and prosecuted.”the official said in a statement.

At the same time, Almeida, who is of African descent, said he was the victim of a “campaign” to damage his image as a black man in a position of responsibility by opponents who want to “erase” his “sacrifice” to the cause of human rights.

The minister was summoned on Thursday night by the Comptroller General, Vinícius Carvalho, and the Attorney General of the Union, Jorge Messias, to give explanations, according to the government.

Almeida holds a law degree from Mackenzie Presbyterian University (1995-1999) and a degree in philosophy from the University of São Paulo (2004-2011). He holds a master’s degree in political and economic law from Mackenzie and a doctorate in philosophy and general theory of law from USP. He has been a lawyer since 2000, and has distinguished himself in the areas of business law, economic and tax law, and human rights.