Brazilian Legislators Advance Anti‑Discrimination Measures

The Câmara Municipal of Foz do Iguaçu overturned the executive veto on a complementary law that creates an anti‑racist and religious‑intolerance protocol for all public and private schools in the municipality. The 10‑5 vote sends the law to the mayor for promulgation; the protocol combines preventive education—lectures, seminars and workshops on Afro‑Brazilian culture and racism—with punitive steps for reported incidents. In the same session, councilors unanimously approved a motion condemning a recent attack on the Ilê Asé Iemanjá e Oxóssi terreiro.

Separately, the Conselho de Comunicação Social of Brazil’s National Congress advised that two proposals dealing with antisemitism be archived. One bill, presented by Deputy Tabata Amaral, would adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism; the other, by former General General Pazuello, seeks to amend the Racism Law, repeal the Genocide Law and increase penalties for antisemitic acts. The council warned the measures could conflict with constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression.