International Day of Democracy,

International Day of Democracy, September 15, in addition to its international relevance, holds profound meaning in the Brazilian context, especially when we look at our recent history marked by the military dictatorship. Between 1964 and 1985, Brazil lived under an authoritarian regime that restricted civil liberties, censored the press, and brutally repressed social movements, including those seeking social justice and racial equality. The dictatorship silenced many voices raised against racism, further deepening the social and racial inequalities already rooted in the country.

During the military regime, racism was not treated as a structural problem to be confronted. On the contrary, racial policies were made invisible, and the struggle for the rights of Black and Indigenous populations was stifled by government repression. At the time, the rhetoric of Brazil as a "racial democracy" was used to mask the exclusion and marginalization of these populations, preventing a sincere debate about the inequalities that persisted.

With the end of the dictatorship and the redemocratization in 1985, a new path was opened for social movements, especially the Black movement, to reorganize and fight for the implementation of public policies aimed at racial equity. The 1988 Constitution was an important milestone, recognizing the rights of quilombola communities, promoting affirmative action, and guaranteeing fundamental rights that had been suppressed during the military regime.

Despite these advances, the impacts of the dictatorship are still felt in the anti-racist struggle. Racial inequality remains evident across multiple areas. In 2022, the unemployment rate among Black people (pretos and pardos) was 12.8%, compared to 7.3% among white people. The disparity in education is alarming: the illiteracy rate among Black people over 15 years old is 8.9%, more than double that of whites, which is 3.6%. Moreover, the labor market reflects this inequality: Black women earn, on average, 44% less than white men, and Black men earn 28% less than their white peers.

Another striking figure is the disproportionate violence against the Black population. About 77% of homicide victims in Brazil are Black, according to the Atlas of Violence 2022, highlighting the brutal impact of structural racism on public safety. Even in politics, where the decisions that shape democracy are made, Black representation remains low: only 17.8% of federal deputies elected in 2022 declared themselves Black, despite Black people representing more than 50% of the country’s population.

These figures show that the anti-racist struggle is central to the strengthening of democracy. To consolidate a full democracy, it is essential to directly confront issues of race and class that perpetuate inequality. Structural racism, perpetuated by decades of discriminatory policies and neglect, continues to be one of the greatest challenges in building a truly just and inclusive society.

On this International Day of Democracy, it is crucial to remember not only the importance of popular participation and civil rights but also how the anti-racist struggle has been—and continues to be—central to the construction of a full democracy. We must fight the racial inequalities that persist since the dictatorship and ensure that the democracy we are building is truly for all.

True Brazilian democracy must be anti-racist, inclusive, and committed to social justice.