Indigenous judge Yves Guachala faces investigation amid claims of racial persecution

The Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (Apib) has requested that the National Council of Justice (CNJ) investigate the suspension of Yves Luan Carvalho Guachala, an indigenous judge serving in the Santa Catarina Court of Justice (TJSC).

Guachala, who entered the judiciary through an indigenous quota system, is currently facing a disciplinary process involving 14 alleged conducts that could lead to his dismissal. The judge claims he is a victim of institutional persecution and ethno-ideological harassment following decisions he made in the district of Catanduvas. These decisions included the dismissal of low-value tax executions and the release of detainees in custody hearings involving small quantities of drugs or suspected police misconduct.

Apib alleges that the investigation has been tainted by racial discrimination, noting that testimonies collected by the TJSC included derogatory comments regarding the judge’s indigenous ancestry, physical appearance, and personal habits. The organization argues that these personal attacks are unrelated to his professional performance and that the disciplinary mechanism is being used as a tool for retaliation against his judicial rulings.