Open letter from public security and human rights organizations

We cannot fail in accountability for the attacks on public security and democracy

Faced with the most challenging time for Brazilian democracy since the promulgation of the Federal Constitution of 1988, we reinforce our unwavering commitment to democracy and to the construction of a safer and more inclusive country for everyone. It is unacceptable for the duties of the Presidency of the Republic to be used to threaten institutions, to incite violence and to call for disorder. For this reason, we call on institutions and all Brazilian society to hold accountable those who attack public security and democracy. We cannot accept such an affront from those who should be its primary guardians.

For decades, the organizations we represent have been working to ensure we have a quality public security, which is a key element in a democracy. In a country marked by periods of authoritarianism and its vestiges, and by racism, machismo and profound social and economic inequalities, there are countless challenges for the constitutional guarantees of the right to life, to security and to the democratic rule of law to be effectively enjoyed by the whole population. The consolidation of democracy requires the rejection of the irresponsible course taken by the federal government in its handling of key issues for the national public interest.

Just like in other areas of the federal public administration, the handling of public security policies by the current government ignores the available data and the abundance of experience and knowledge of security forces, public administrators, academia and civil society organizations. Instead of developing evidence-based public policies, the federal government has prioritized proposals that heighten the risks of insecurity and violence and insisted on encouraging the use of force as a method to destabilize the country. Two such proposals are the expansion of qualified immunity and the increased access to large quantities of arms and munitions, including more powerful caliber guns previously banned for civilian use, for groups that make up the current government’s support base.

These two proposals demonstrate the anti-democratic path chosen by the government in relation to a crucial aspect of state action: the monopoly of the legitimate use of force. Instead of striving for the control and legitimacy of the extremely exceptional use of force as a means of resolving conflicts in a democracy, the federal government has encouraged private violence and party-political radicalization by the public security and defense forces.

Furthermore, the federal government treats public security professionals as pawns in its power project and, instead of establishing an effective national public security policy and valuing these professionals, it encourages conflicts, hostility and operational standards that multiply the risk of conflict and death.

We know that the path to the consolidation of our democracy and the construction of a safer society for everyone has no shortcuts. We cannot passively accept the rampant setbacks in policies that were crafted through engagement and collective construction committed to the public good and the essential values of our democracy: the defense of life, human dignity and the protection of individual freedoms.

The effects of hate speech and hate incidents, the criminalization of civic action and the denial of diversity and plurality that have grown prominent will last for a long time. The line has been crossed. This is why we need to put a stop to it. There are still democratic means of achieving this: we must not shy away from using them in the face of the attacks and threats to our security and democracy of today and tomorrow. Anarchy is only of interest to warlords and gunmen.

Signed by:

• Carolina Ricardo, executive director of the Sou da Paz Institute
• Ilona Szabó, president of the Igarapé Institute
• Juana Kweitel, executive director of Conectas Human Rights
• Julita Lemgruber, coordinator of the Center for Studies on Public Security and Citizenship
• Melina Risso, program director at the Igarapé Institute
• Renato Sérgio de Lima, president of the Brazilian Public Security Forum
• Samira Bueno, executive director of the Brazilian Public Security Forum
• Silvia Ramos, coordinator of the Center for Studies on Public Security and Citizenship