The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association for Latin America and the Caribbean (ILGALAC) and the Brazilian Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Transsexual and Intersex (ABGLT) make a call to the people of Brazil to support Fernando Haddad, candidate of the Coalition “O BRASIL FELIZ DE NOVO” and to strongly defeat in the run-off of the presidential elections, the fascist political proposal of Jair Bolsonaro, candidate of the coalition “BRASIL ACIMA DE TUDO, DEUS ACIMA DE TODOS” . We categorically reject the arrival of leaders in our region who support and promote neo-colonial, racist, xenophobic, misogynist and homo/lesbo/transphobic thinking.
ILGALAC monitored the positions of the presidential candidates on LGBTI human rights issues through the ILGALAC 2018 Electoral Observatory.
We reject Jair Bolsonaro’s statements against our LGBTI community, we reject that he is against us ideologically, that he promotes hatred through his speeches, which has already led his supporters to attack and murder people in our community.
On the other hand, Fernando Haddad’s support for LGBTI rights in his political platform, the declarations in his campaign in favor of our rights and the commitment in relation to LGBTI public policies are actions that are undoubtedly aimed at recognizing all the persons living in Brazil, at reducing inequality gaps, at retaking what the state has by obligation, which is to protect all the rights of all people.
Dario Arias, ILGALAC’s co-secretary general said: “From ILGALAC we understand that a victory of the fascist candidate Jair Bolsonaro would be a tragedy for LGBTI people, a threat to their right to identity and survival, and would have a catastrophic impact on the entire region”.
Beto de Jesús, member of the Regional Board of ILGALAC said: “We will continue to fight against the fascism that afflicts our region, we will continue our daily struggle to guarantee the rights of the LGBTI community in Brazil. We fought years against the dictatorship and we won, we will continue fighting to defeat it again, that is our sign”.
Symmy Larrat, trans activist and president of ABGLT said: “Brazil lives terrible days, LGBTI people are persecuted and threatened day and night, we have recorded more than 100 complaints in just two weeks before the runoff, while the candidate leading the surveys strengthens the fascist discourse and legitimizes this practice. Two trans people were murdered, while their attackers screamed that their candidate is going to win and they are going to exterminate us. Fear is approaching our community, but we will continue in the struggle, because wherever an LGBTI person is there they will also meet our resistance!
We call on the people of Brazil to join together against the violence, misogyny, homophobia, lesbophobia, transphobia and racism that have done us so much harm. We are with you, we are standing up and fighting to demand a better Brazil, a better region.
Not one step back. We will overthrow fascism in our region! Not him!
