Lack of Funding Is Main Obstacle for Black Political Candidates in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – With no funding or party support, black candidates are being left behind. Nurse Rita Manuela ran for federal deputy under the Patriota party in 2018, but although the party approved her name for the elections, her candidacy was not included in the electoral fund allocation. “I walked in and out with zero.” From the party, she only was provided with advisory and accounting services, estimated at R$400 (US$80).

According to Rita, the party placed her in the race solely to meet the minimum quota of female candidates, but had she been a white candidate, the scenario could have been different. “Black women earn less, participate less, and have a lower (electoral) feasibility assessment,” she said, after she dropped out of the election. Questioned, the party refused to comment.

Rita’s situation is echoed in other parties. A candidate for state deputy in Rio for PDT in 2018, social scientist Vitor Del Rey said he gave up the campaign “even before it started” because he had no support from his party. “We had no money to finance it, I came at a time when I had more debts than money to collect,” he said

According to the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), he received no party funds for campaigning. “The fact that I am black, added to the fact that I don’t have sponsors and a political background, contributed to the lack of funds from the party.”

PDT said that the management of party funds is “an internal deliberation of the regional directory, prioritizing candidates for president, governors, senators and federal deputies”. According to the party, the criteria for the distribution of funds “range from membership time to effective involvement in the party’s organization.”

Source: O Estado de S. Paulo

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