Brazil’s Lula fires human rights minister accused of sexual harassment

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday fired his human rights minister, Silvio Almeida, after allegations he had sexually harassed several women, including a cabinet colleague.

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The scandal, which has sparked outrage in Brazil, is the first of its kind involving a member of Lula’s government since the veteran leftist came to power last year.

“Given the serious accusations against Minister Silvio Almeida and after he was summoned for an interview… President Lula has decided to dismiss the head of the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship,” the presidency said in a statement.

“The President considers the possibility of the Minister remaining in office untenable given the nature of the allegations,” the statement said.

In a later statement, Almeida said: “I have asked President Lula to fire me.”

“It gives me the chance to prove my innocence and recover from this,” he said.

The news site Metropoles reported on Thursday that women’s association Me Too Brasil had received complaints against Almeida from several women, including Minister for Racial Equality Anielle Franco.

Me Too Brasil confirmed the report and said the women in question had received “psychological and legal support.”

Federal police said Friday they would investigate the claims, and the presidential ethics commission said it had also opened an investigation.

Almeida, a 48-year-old lawyer and university lecturer who is considered one of Brazil’s leading intellectuals, had previously dismissed the allegations as “lies” aimed at tarnishing the image of “a black man holding a prominent position in public office”.

Franco, 40, is also black.

After Almeida’s dismissal, she wrote on Instagram that it is “unacceptable to trivialize or minimize violent acts” and praised Lula’s “strong action.”

She welcomed the expressions of solidarity she had received, adding: “We know how many women and girls suffer harassment every day, at work, on public transport, in schools and at home.”

‘I felt ashamed’

On Friday, UOL’s news site published the story of one of Almeida’s accusers, a university lecturer, who said the minister had groped her during a meal in 2019, in front of about 15 people.

“There were a lot of people, I was wearing a skirt and I remember his hand on my genitals,” she said, adding: “I felt ashamed.”

Before the meeting with Almeida on Friday, Lula issued a stern warning about possible cases of sexual harassment within his team.

“What I can say is that anyone who is guilty of intimidation cannot remain in government,” he told Brazilian radio station Difusora Goiania, while stressing Almeida’s right to the presumption of innocence.

On Thursday, the government acknowledged the “seriousness” of the allegations against the minister and promised that they would be dealt with “with the severity and speed that situations of possible violence against women require”.

Almeida’s wife, Edneia Carvalho, with whom he has a one-year-old daughter, described the accusations against the minister on Instagram as “unfair” and “absurd”.

While this is the first scandal involving alleged sexual misconduct by a member of Lula’s government, it is not the first time one of his ministers has been accused of a crime.

In June, the Federal Police recommended charging Communications Minister Juscelino Filho with corruption and association with criminals. Filho denied the charges and has kept his job so far.

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