Maranhão police delegate targeted by racist social media attacks

The Association of Police Delegates of the State of Maranhão (Adepol/MA) has issued a formal repudiation following racist attacks directed at Civil Police Delegate Guilherme Luiz Campelo dos Santos. The insults were posted on social media following a simulated election in the municipality of Paulino Neves.

In the comments, an individual compared the Black delegate to a “peão fazedor de caeira,” a derogatory reference to a manual laborer in charcoal production. Adepol/MA described the comments as “abject, offensive, and absolutely inadmissible,” stating that the attack sought to disqualify the professional based on his skin color and racial stereotypes.

Delegate Campelo dos Santos, who has 28 years of experience in the Civil Police, has filed a police report. The association announced it will pursue all necessary civil and criminal measures to identify and punish the author. Legal experts noted that such conduct may be classified as a crime of racism under Brazilian law, which is characterized as unbailable and not subject to a statute of limitations.