Esther Dweck takes over as interim Minister of Human Rights

After dismissing Silvio Almeida from his post as Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship (MDHC), amid allegations of sexual harassment, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva appointed Minister Esther Dweck to temporarily occupy the position. She will temporarily combine the role with that of Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services until a new head of the MDHC is defined, the Planalto Palace reported in a press release distributed on Friday night (6).

The Federal Police opened an investigation into the case. The Public Ethics Commission of the Presidency of the Republic also opened preliminary proceedings to clarify the facts.

Related news:

Silvio Almeida has been in charge of the ministry since the beginning of January 2023. A lawyer and university professor, he has established himself as one of the most important Brazilian intellectuals today by publishing articles and books on law, philosophy, political economy and, mainly, race relations.

Accusations

The allegations against Minister Silvio Almeida were made public by the news portal Metropolises on Thursday afternoon (5) and later confirmed by the Me Too organization. Without revealing names or other details, the organization states that it has assisted women who claim to have been sexually harassed by Almeida.

“As is often the case in cases of sexual violence involving perpetrators in positions of power, these victims face difficulties in obtaining institutional support to validate their complaints. In light of this, they authorized the confirmation of the case to the press,” explained Me Too, in a statement.

In a statement released to the press on Thursday night, Silvio Almeida said he “absolutely vehemently” repudiated the accusations, which he referred to as “lies” and “absurd inferences” intended to harm him. He confirmed that he had sent official letters to the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU), the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Office of the Attorney General (PGR) “so that they may conduct a careful investigation of the case.”

In the statement, the minister assessed that “each and every complaint must be substantiated” and expressed sadness about the entire situation. “It hurts my soul. Once again, there is a group trying to erase and diminish our existence, attributing to me the behaviors they practice. With this, Brazil loses, the human rights agenda loses, racial equality loses and the Brazilian people lose.”

According to the website Metropolisesamong the alleged victims of harassment was the Minister of Racial Equality, Anielle Franco.

Hours after the allegations became public, Almeida was called to provide clarification to the Comptroller General of the Union, Vinícius Carvalho, and to the Attorney General of the Union, Jorge Messias. The Ethics Committee of the Presidency of the Republic decided to open proceedings to investigate the allegations. The Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom) reported, in a note, that “the federal government recognizes the seriousness of the allegations” and that the case is being treated with the rigor and speed that situations involving possible violence against women require”.

In a note released this Friday morning, the Ministry of Women classified how “serious” the allegations are against the minister and expressed solidarity with all women “who break their silences every day and report situations of harassment and violence”. The ministry also reaffirmed that no violence against women should be tolerated and stressed that all complaints of this nature must be investigated, “giving due credit to the victims’ words”.

After Almeida’s dismissal and a meeting with President Lula, Anielle Franco posted a note on social media in which she stated that she was not “acceptable to relativize or minimize episodes of violence”. She also commented on the need to recognize the seriousness of the problem and act quickly, highlighting the “forceful action of President Lula”. The minister also thanked the expressions of support she has received and criticized the pressure she has been under to speak about the issue.

“Attempts to blame, disqualify, embarrass or pressure victims to speak out in moments of pain and vulnerability are also unacceptable, as they only fuel the cycle of violence. I ask that you respect my space and my right to privacy. I will contribute to the investigation whenever called upon,” she said.