Members of social entities met with ministers Anielle Franco, Silvio Almeida and Márcio Macêdo in Lisbon
Members of House of Brazil in Lisbon and social entities met this Sunday morning (April 23, 2023) with Ministers Anielle Franco (Racial Equality), Silvio Almeida (Human Rights and Citizenship) and Márcio Macêdo (General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic). The 3 are part of the entourage accompanying the president’s trip Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) to Portugal.
At the meeting, the ministers received a letter addressed to Lula with claims about the difficulty of service at Brazilian Consulates in Portugal, the obstacles to obtaining recognition of higher-level diplomas and problems faced by the Brazilian community, such as racism, xenophobia and difficulties to maintain in Portugal.
The letter is signed by the president and vice president of the House of Brazil in Lisbon, Chyntia de Paula and Ana Paula Costa, respectively. Here’s the full of the document (1 MB). The non-profit association was founded in 1992 by Brazilians residing in the country. Works to demand egalitarian policies for immigrant communities.
They recall that Brazilians represent the largest foreign community in Portugal. In 2021, there were 204,694, according to the latest report (6 MB) from the government. Casa do Brasil in Lisbon mentions more than 400 thousand, including those who are naturalized and those who are in an irregular situation.
According to the association, requests for repatriation, voluntary return and social support for housing and food have increased in recent years. “We call for the Consulates General of Brazil in Portugal to have more human resources and budget to support vulnerable Brazilians”, reads the letter.
“We suggest the creation of a financial fund to support the purchase of air tickets for the repatriation of Brazilian people who are in an extremely vulnerable situation and who wish to return to the country.”
Read more about the situation of Brazilians in Portugal:
Casa do Brasil in Lisbon highlighted that, in recent years, cases of racism, xenophobia and discrimination against Brazilians have increased. “It is also fundamental that joint actions are developed to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”, wrote the association.
AGREEMENTS
Silvio Almeida signed 2 bilateral agreements in Lisbon. One for the protection of witnesses in criminal proceedings and another that establishes good practices in the promotion and defense of the rights of people with disabilities. The minister should visit Casa do Brasil in Lisbon on Monday (April 24).
On Saturday (April 22), he and Anielle Franco met with Ana Catarina Mendes, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of Portugal, to discuss policies that are being implemented to promote racial equality, combat racism and xenophobia in the Brazilian community in Portuguese soil.
According to the government, it was agreed, among other things, a national strategy to combat racism and a cooperation agenda on the subject. The ministers also discussed an agreement to facilitate the labor mobility of workers in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Read more about Lula’s trip to Portugal:
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