Washington Brazil Office

International Strengthening of the Brazilian Black Movement: The WBO's Racial Justice Program aims to support the international articulation of Black movements in Brazil. In December 2022 it created a Working Group WG on Racial Justice which included 16 organizations related to Brazilian Black movements in order to support and expand participation of organized civil society in actions related to the issue of racial justice in Brazil and the United States. The group maintained dialogues with the governments of Brazil and the United States the U.S. Congress the Organization of American States OAS the United Nations UN and American civil society. The Working Group had an approach based on active listening to the demands of affiliated Black movement organizations resulting in the elaboration of a work plan formulated directly by the Brazilian civil society organizations that make up the Working Group and whose content reflects their international agendas. In thirteen months of joint action the Working Group on Racial Justice managed to promote a series of initiatives linked to the interrelationship among the governments of Brazil and the United States multilateral organizations and academia. Among these actions is the central role of the advocacy carried out by the WG for the reactivation of JAPER - the acronym in English of the Joint Brazil-United States Action Plan for the Elimination of Ethnic-Racial Discrimination and the Reduction of Inequality. This advocacy resulted in the US and Brazilian governments resuming the plan and promising to give more space and greater weight to civil society organizations in the design and implementation of their joint policies for the sector.

The defense of Brazilian democracy: During the tumultuous events of January 8th in Brasília the WBO played a pivotal and commendable role in upholding democratic values and international cooperation. As the attacks on Brazil's democratic institutions unfolded the WBO swiftly took action by reaching out to a range of U.S. Congressional members. Their tireless efforts resulted in a collective call for condemnation of the attacks emphasizing the importance of preserving democratic norms and the rule of law. This outreach proved instrumental in mobilizing support on both sides of the aisle reinforcing the international community's commitment to democratic principles in the face of adversity. Furthermore the WBO's commitment to fostering international collaboration was demonstrated through their meticulous coordination of a binational statement. With over sixty U.S. and Brazilian Congressional members endorsing this statement a resounding message of unity against the attacks was delivered. This joint condemnation not only sent a powerful signal to those seeking to undermine democracy but also underscored the importance of transnational cooperation in safeguarding democratic values. The WBO worked throughout the year on many other initiatives aimed at fostering democracy in Brazil by connecting American and Brazilian civil society and legislators.