In a shocking public incident of racism, Sandra Mathias, a supporter of former right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, committed a violent racist assault on a Black male delivery driver in Rio de Janeiro.
The incident has sparked a public outcry from activists and politicians in Brazil, where the history of racism runs deep.
According to eyewitnesses, Mathias hurled racial slurs at the victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous, while he was making a delivery to her apartment. She called him a “dirty monkey” and “slave” and accused him of stealing her packages. She then proceeded to assault him physically, hitting him with a shoe and throwing objects at him. Finally, she used a dog leash to whip him repeatedly like an animal.
The victim, who has been working as a delivery driver for over two years, was left traumatized by the incident. “I’ve never been treated like this before,” he said in an interview. “I was just doing my job, and I was attacked for no reason other than the color of my skin. It’s not right.”
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from activists and politicians, who are calling for justice and an end to racist violence in Brazil.
Brazil has a long history of racism and violence against Black people, including delivery drivers and maids. According to a recent study by the Brazilian Forum of Public Safety, Black people are 2.7 times more likely to be victims of homicide than white people, and they make up a disproportionate number of workers in low-paying, high-risk jobs.
Experts say that people like Mathias, who see themselves as racially superior, are motivated by a desire for power and control.
“They believe that white people are superior to people of color, and they feel threatened by any challenge to that belief,” said Luiza Bairros, a sociologist and former Minister for Racial Equality in Brazil.
Activists are working tirelessly to combat racism, but they face many obstacles, including the lack of enforcement of antiracism laws. Although Brazil has laws in place to protect against racism, they are not enforced, especially when the perpetrator is wealthy or powerful.
Ironically, the victim of the attack has been fired from his job as a delivery driver since the incident, leaving him without a source of income. His story has brought renewed attention to the plight of workers in Brazil who are vulnerable to racist attacks.
The incident has also brought attention to the dangerous rhetoric of leaders like Bolsonaro and Trump, who have been accused of promoting racism and xenophobia. “When leaders use hateful language and promote division, it creates an environment where incidents like this are more likely to occur,” said human rights activist David Miranda.
