Amid the sequence of threats to the Brazilian electoral system made by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), civil society organizations and activists went abroad to seek a form of pressure for respect for democracy in Brazil.
On the eve of the first round of elections, this Sunday (2), this effort gained concrete support in different bodies, from the United States Senate, the European Parliament and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The calculation is that any attempt to break democracy will be more difficult to be carried out without international support — especially from countries or blocs on which Brazil depends economically, such as the US and the European Union.
In this sense, one of the most symbolic support came on Wednesday (28) with the approval by the US Senate of a resolution that calls for a review of diplomatic relations between Brazil and the US in the event of a coup and the immediate recognition by the Joe Biden government of the winner. at the polls — in an attempt to make it difficult to challenge the result.
The motion, approved unanimously, was led by Senator Bernie Sanders, who called on colleagues after receiving a delegation of Brazilian entities warning of the risk of a coup, led by the Washington Brazil Office group.
“Historically, international pressure for the defense of the environment, human rights and democracy on governments that do not condone these values ​​has proven to be an efficient tactic to prevent further taking of rights”, says Iman Musa, the organization’s director of advocacy.
“The US’s global political and economic influence is undeniable, and Brazil is no different. Having one of the biggest global powers echoing the denunciations that the entities make is important not only to amplify, but also to support their messages.”
On the same day the Senate approved the motion, 51 members of the European Parliament delivered a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borell, urging the EU to monitor the and support Brazil’s democratic institutions.
Anna Cavazzini, a German MEP for the Green Party, says the idea came about after a trip by parliamentarians to Brazil in July, in which they met with politicians, academics, representatives of indigenous peoples and activists. “There was a fear of attacks on democracy, and a strong call was made for the international community to stand up for it.”
According to Maria Arena, Belgian MEP who chairs the Subcommittee on Human Rights, “the objective is to ask the EU to be clear to its partners in terms of respect for the laws and the constitutional order”.
Trade sanctions are on the list of instruments proposed by these parliamentarians to punish Brazil in the event of a breach of the democratic system. “In the event of non-recognition of electoral results by force and chaos, Europe will have to use its trade relations with Brazil as an instrument of sanction,” Arena told Sheet.
On Thursday (29), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), based in Washington, released a statement asking the Brazilian government “to do its utmost to prevent and combat any act of intolerance that could result in political violence. “
The body has been moving for months in relation to the election. At the end of June, it issued a statement stating that it “observes with concern acts of violence motivated by the political context, as well as the speeches of political leaders, especially high authorities, which may deepen the climate of political polarization”.
The commission is an autonomous body linked to the Organization of American States, which in turn sent an observer mission headed by former Paraguayan foreign minister Rubén RamÃrez Lezcano. On Wednesday night, Bolsonaro said in a live broadcast that he asked Lezcano for the mission to produce a report against electronic voting machines.
In all, 55 OAS observers from 17 nationalities will be in 15 states to monitor the progress of the election. It is the third time that the agency sends such a mission to Brazil. After the election, the group will present a preliminary report with observations and recommendations.
Also on Thursday, Human Rights Watch released a statement stating that the government must “guarantee Brazilians the free exercise of the right to vote and secure elections” and that federal and state authorities must “protect voters, candidates, employees and volunteers from the electoral justice, including monitoring compliance with temporary restrictions on weapons and ammunition”.
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