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Monthly Event Reports

August 2023 | 45 people killed in the context of police operations in Brazil

A police operation carried out in multiple regions of the country, reportedly in response to a police officer’s murder, resulted in at least 45 people killed. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed its concern over the operation and the rise in the number of killings by police of men of African descent.  Local activists denounced the operation as a retaliatory massacre. Among those living where raids took place, there have been complaints of threats and intimidation by police and acts of torture.

June 2023 | Former President Bolsonaro banned from public office for 8 years

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (Tribunal Supremo Eleitoral) resolved, in a five to two decision, to ban former president Bolsonaro for eight years from running for office after determining he was guilty of abuse of power during last year’s elections. The ban would be instated retroactively from October 2022 and would bar Bolsonaro from running in the 2026 presidential race. In 2030 he would once again be eligible to run for public office.  The Tribunal’s decision was based on a speech given by Bolsonaro before last year’s presidential elections during which, with an audience of diplomatic members, he alleged that electronic voting machines in Brazil were susceptible to being hacked. No evidence of voting machine tampering was provided in support of the allegations. The two dissenting judges considered Bolsonaro’s statement was protected by freedom of expression.  Bolsonaro’s lawyers have stated they will appeal this decision. 

July 2023 | Civilian use of guns restricted by decree

Reversing policy of the Bolsonaro administration, which relaxed the rules surrounding gun ownership, Lula da Silva’s government issued a decree restricting the ownership and use of guns by civilians on 21 July. The number and type of guns and ammunition that civilians can own has been reduced, and now requires supporting documentation to prove that gun ownership is needed for personal safety. The time frame for gun permits has also been reduced to three to five years (down from ten). Civilians who own weapons and ammunition that are now banned will be able to sell them, or they may be confiscated by federal police. Oversight of gun ownership has shifted from the military to federal police.

April 2023 | Six new Indigenous territories are legally recognized

President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva announced the legal recognition of six new Indigenous territories. This recognition entails special protection of the peoples that inhabit the territories. It also aims to put an end to illegal mining and other resource exploitation activities that have contributed to the deteriorating health and well-being of certain Indigenous communities. This decision by President Da Silva reverses the policy of former President Bolsonaro, who considered that Indigenous communities had been granted too much land, and who had authorized and encouraged mining even in recognized territories.

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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
214 326 223
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (since 2023)
Head of government party
Workers' Party (PT)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
17.5%
Women in upper chamber
18.5%
Last legislative election
2022
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
12.34
Head of state
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
05/05/2017
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
98.37%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
No Action
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
American Convention on Human Rights
State Party
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
in
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Categories of Democratic Performance

Representation neutral Representation
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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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