Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 12478 / 251,287

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28 2011/04/29 2011/04/30
2011/05/01 2011/05/02 2011/05/03 2011/05/04 2011/05/05 2011/05/06 2011/05/07 2011/05/08

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/06 1992/12
1993/10
1996/11
1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 2002/11
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belmopan Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples Consulate Naha
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Suva Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sapporo Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AU ASEC AE AF AORC AEMR AMGT ABUD AFFAIRS APER AS AMED AY AG AR AJ AL AID AM AODE ABLD AMG AFIN ATRN AGAO AFU AN AA ALOW APECO ADM ARF ASEAN APEC AMBASSADOR AO ASUP AZ AADP ACOA ANET AMCHAMS ACABQ ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG APCS AGMT AINF AIT AORL ACS AFSI AFSN ACBAQ AFGHANISTAN ADANA ADPM AX ADCO AECL AMEX ACAO ASCH AORG AGR AROC ASIG AND ARM AQ ATFN AC AUC ASEX AER AVERY AGRICULTURE
BL BR BO BA BD BM BK BG BU BB BH BTIO BY BEXP BP BE BRUSSELS BF BIDEN BT BX BC BILAT BN BBSR BTIU BWC BMGT
CA CASC CVIS CM CH CO CU CD CWC CI CS CY CMGT CF CG CR CB CV CW CE CBW CT CPAS COUNTERTERRORISM CJAN CODEL CIDA CDG CDC CIA CTR CNARC CSW CN CONS CLINTON COE CROS CARICOM CONDOLEEZZA COUNTER CL COM CICTE CIS CFED COUNTRY CJUS CBSA CEUDA CLMT CAC COPUOS CIC CBE CHR CTM CVR CITEL CLEARANCE CACS CAN CITT CARSON CACM CDB CAPC CKGR CBC
DEAX DR DJ DA DEA DOMESTIC DO DK DHS DAO DCM DTRA DISENGAGEMENT DOD DPRK DEPT DOE DS DE DEFENSE
EC EG EPET ECON ETRD EFIN EIND EMIN ENRG EAID EAGR EUN ETTC EAIR ENIV ES EU EINV ELAB ECIN EFIS ELTN EWWT ECPS ECONOMIC ENGR EN EINT EPA ELN ESA EZ ER ET EFTA EINVECONSENVCSJA EUMEM ETRA EXTERNAL EI EUR EK ERNG ENGY ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ENERG EINVEFIN ENVR ECA ELECTIONS ETC EUREM ENNP EFINECONCS EURN ECINECONCS EEPET EXIM ERD ENVI ETRC ETRDEINVTINTCS ETRO EDU ETRN EAIG ECONCS ECONOMICS EAP ECONOMY EINN EIAR EXBS ECUN EINDETRD EREL EUC ESENV ECONEFIN ECIP EFIM EAIDS ETRDECONWTOCS EUNCH EINVETC
FR FI FJ FBI FAC FM FO FAO FDA FTAA FARC FTA FREEDOM FISO FOR FOREIGN FOI FAS FINR FINANCE FMLN
GM GG GE GT GR GH GTIP GV GA GOI GAERC GY GOV GERARD GANGS GAZA GTMO GL GF GCC GZ GLOBAL
HA HO HU HUMOR HK HURI HR HEBRON HSTC HILLARY HUMAN HI HYMPSK
IZ IT IR IS IN IC IAEA IO ICAO IWC ID IV ISRAEL IAHRC IQ ICTR IMF IRS IDP IGAD ICRC ICTY IMO IL INRA INRO ICJ ITU IBRD INMARSAT IIP ITALY IEFIN IACI ILO INTELSAT ILC ITRA IDA INRB IRC INTERPOL IA IPR IRAQI ISRAELI INTERNAL ISLAMISTS INDO ITPHUM ITPGOV ITALIAN IBET INR IEA IZPREL IRAJ ITF IF
JO JA JM JOHN JP JOSEPH JUS JAMES JOHNNIE
KDEM KU KPAL KNNP KCRM KZ KN KS KJUS KTFN KSCA KV KISL KPAO KPKO KIRF KTIA KIPR KFLO KFRD KTIP KAWC KSUM KCOM KAID KE KTDB KMDR KOMC KWBG KDRG KVPR KTEX KGIC KWMN KSCI KCOR KACT KDDG KHLS KSAF KFLU KSEO KMRS KSPR KOLY KSEP KVIR KGHG KIRC KUNR KIFR KCIP KMCA KMPI KBCT KHSA KICC KIDE KCRS KMFO KRVC KRGY KR KAWK KG KFIN KHIV KBIO KOCI KBTR KNEI KPOA KCFE KPLS KSTC KHDP KPRP KCRCM KLIG KCFC KTER KREC KTBT KPRV KSTH KRIM KRAD KWAC KWMM KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KOMS KX KMIG KRCM KVRP KBTS KPAONZ KNUC KNAR KPWR KNPP KDEMAF KNUP KNNPMNUC KERG KGIT KPAI KTLA KFSC KCSY KSAC KTRD KID KOM KMOC KJUST KGCC KREL KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KFTFN KO KNSD KHUM KSEC KCMR KCHG KICA KPIN KESS KDEV KCGC KWWMN KPAK KWNM KWMNCS KRFD
LY LH LG LE LO LI LA LU LTTE LAB LOG LT LABOR
MOPS MCAP MPOS MARR MO MNUC MX MASS MG MY MU ML MR MILITARY MTCRE MT MEPP MA MDC MP MAR MASSMNUC MARAD MAPP MZ MD MI MEETINGS MK MCC MEPN MRCRE MAS MIL MASC MC MV MTCR MIK MUCN MEDIA MERCOSUR MW MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MTRE MEPI MQADHAFI MAPS
NO NATO NL NP NZ NSF NI NH NG NAFTA NU NASA NR NATOPREL NSSP NSG NA NT NW NK NPT NPA NATIONAL NPG NSFO NS NSC NE NGO NDP NIPP NRR NEW NZUS NC NAR NV NORAD
OTRA OPCW OVIP OAS OREP OPIC OIIP OPRC ODIP OEXC OPDC OSCE OIC OSCI OECD OFDP OFDA OMIG OPAD OFFICIALS OVP OIE OHUM OCS OBSP OTR OSAC ON OCII OES
PGOV PREL PHUM PTER PINS PINR PREF PK PROP PA PARM PBTS PMAR PM PGIV PE PRAM PHUH PHSA PL PNAT PO PLN PAO PSA PHUMPGOV PF PEL PBIO POLITICS PHUMBA PAS POL PREO PAHO PMIL POGOV POV PAK PNR PRL PG PREFA PSI PINL PU PARMS PRGOV PALESTINIAN PAIGH POLITICAL PARTIES POSTS PROG PORG PTBS PUNE POLICY PDOV PCI PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PP PS PY PTERE PGOF PKFK PSOE PEPR PPA PINT PRELP PSEPC PGOVE PINF PNG PGOC PFOR PCUL POLINT PGGV PHALANAGE PARTY PGOVLO PHUS PDEM PECON PROV PHUMPREL
QA
RS RU RELATIONS RW RO RM RP ROOD RICE RUPREL RSO RCMP REACTION REPORT REGION RIGHTS RF RFE RSP RIGHTSPOLMIL ROBERT
SU SCUL SNAR SOCI SF SA SHUM SENV SP SR SY SANC SC SMIG SZ SARS SW SEVN SO SEN SL SNARCS SNARN SI SG SN SH SYR SAARC SPCE SHI SCRS SENVKGHG SYRIA SWE STEINBERG SIPRS ST SNARIZ SSA SK SPCVIS SOFA SIPDIS SAN
TC TI TBIO TH TSPL TRGY TSPA TPHY TU TW TS TAGS TK TX TNGD TZ TF TL TV TN TD TIP TR TP TO TT TFIN THPY TERRORISM TINT TRSY TURKEY TBID
US UK UNGA UP UZ UNMIK USTR UNO UNSC UN UNESCO UNAUS UNHRC UY UG UNHCR UNCND USOAS USEU UNICEF UNEP UV UNPUOS UNCSD USUN UNCHR UNDC USNC UE UNDP UNC USPS USAID UNVIE UAE UNFICYP UNODC UNCHS UNIDROIT UNDESCO UNCHC
VE VT VZ VTIZ VTPREL VAT VC VM VN VTEG VI
WHO WTRO WS WZ WHA WI WMD WHTI WA WTO WMO WBG WITH WIPO WTRQ WFP WWARD WB WEU
XR XM XL XS XW XF XG XT XU XA XK XY XV XB XZ XQ XC XTAG XX XE XD XH XI
YM YI YE YMCS
ZB ZU ZP ZR ZI ZANU ZL ZF ZJ ZO ZEALAND ZK ZN ZA ZOELLICK

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 07SAOPAULO895, BRAZIL: NOT A MULTIRACIAL, MULTICULTURAL PARADISE SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07SAOPAULO895.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07SAOPAULO895 | 2007-11-06 17:57 | 2011-02-16 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Consulate Sao Paulo

`

    VZCZCXRO9447
    PP RUEHRG
    DE RUEHSO #0895/01 3101757
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    P 061757Z NOV 07
    FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7653
    INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8766
    RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 3160
    RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 2924
    RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 2485
    RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ 3544
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0592
    RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 2186
    RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 3864
    RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 8422
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
    RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SAO PAULO 000895

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA AND DRL
    NSC FOR TOMASULO
    SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
    USAID FOR LAC/AA

    TAGS: PHUM SOCI SCUL KDEM KPAO BR
    SUBJECT: BRAZIL: NOT A MULTIRACIAL, MULTICULTURAL PARADISE SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

    Summary -------

    ¶1. (SBU) Discrimination against Afro-Brazilians tarnishes Brazil's international reputation as a tolerant and welcoming country home to hundreds of indigenous groups and immigrants from every corner of the world. In Brazil the issue is extremely divisive with many claiming that racism does not exist, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Some Afro-Brazilian activists believe part of the problem is traditional racism against "darker-skinned" people, but place equal, if not more, blame on internal divisions and a lack of common efforts within the black community. Analysts tell us that a combination of legislative action and private sector initiatives as well as a change in the national culture is essential if Brazil is to move past decades of racism. End Summary.

    Background ----------

    ¶2. (SBU) Brazil is home to between 90 and 100 million descendants of African slaves - over half of the country's total population. Despite the 1888 abolition of slavery, Afro-Brazilians still face significant economic, political and social challenges. Blacks are overwhelmingly poor, representing two-thirds of Brazilians below the poverty line, and do not have access to good education. Afro-Brazilians face serious hurdles entering the formal labor market and securing high-paying jobs. Blacks earn on average half as much as whites and are twice as likely to be illiterate.

    ¶3. (SBU) Discrimination against Brazil's black population is a cruel injustice that remains a powerful reality, according to Elisa Lucas Rodrigues, President of the Sao Paulo State Council on the Participation and Development of the Black Community (CPDCNGSP). Rodrigues, a 2005 International Visitor (IV), remarked that a 2003 law that requires public schools to teach African culture and history is a positive first step; her Council has trained 16,000 teachers in the subject. Maria Aparecida de Laia, General Coordinator of Sao Paulo's Special Secretariat for Participation and Partnership's Coordinating Body for Issues of the Black Population (CONE), also hailed the law, highlighting its vital role in raising the self-confidence of young Afro-Brazilians and allowing them to see that they can achieve more than basic service jobs. (Note: The law does not cover private schools which are overwhelmingly dominated by richer, white Brazilians. End Note.)

    ¶4. (SBU) CPDCNGSP President Rodrigues expressed support for state and federal universities that are self-implementing quota systems to ensure greater diversity. According to the Special Secretariat on Racial Equality, over 40 universities have already adopted such quota systems. These opportunities have helped provide a superior level of education to many Afro-Brazilians, who for generations were denied a higher degree, CONE Coordinator de Laia said. Senator Paulo Paim of President Lula's Workers' Party (PT), the only self-declared Afro-Brazilian senator, is leading an effort to require federal universities to have quotas in place. There is much debate within the Afro-Brazilian community regarding quotas, however. Denise Aparecida Tobias, a family attorney involved in initiatives supporting the Afro-Brazilian community, said that some Afro-Brazilians contend that quotas separate blacks even more from whites.

    Community Self-Image Improving ------------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) De Laia noted that Afro-Brazilians have achieved major success in a number of academic fields. More Afro-Brazilians are becoming scholars and researchers, more scholarships are granted to Afro-Brazilians and more academic papers are being published on Afro-Brazilian issues. Only a few years ago, whites were the principal authors of research projects on the Afro-Brazilian community, she said, and now blacks are taking the lead. Attorney Tobias claimed that Afro-Brazilians are beginning to see some hope in media and popular culture. Widely-viewed soap operas no longer "fear" featuring black actors, and due to Afro-Brazilian athletes'

    SAO PAULO 00000895 002 OF 003

    success, particularly in soccer - the national obsession - black self-confidence, non-existent for generations, is on the rise. Moises de Freitas, a researcher on Afro-Brazilian socio-economic development, said Afro-Brazilians are increasingly more likely to identify their race on surveys, a sign that they are no longer afraid of admitting who they are instead of trying to classify themselves in another category. Father Jose Enes de Jesus, President of the Institute of the Black Baptist Father (IBBF), a Catholic organization trying to get Afro-Brazilian youth off the streets, claimed that in the last fifteen years, Afro-Brazilians have become more conscious of their racial identity and have begun to demand more rights and more follow-up by authorities on racial crimes.

    Government Efforts Needed -------------------------

    ¶6. (SBU) In March, Minister of Racial Integration Matilde Ribeiro made a provocative statement in which she asserted that it is natural for blacks to dislike white people. Many criticized her statement as a racist incitement, prompting Vice President Jose Alencar to deny the existence of racism in Brazil; however, it helped raise awareness of an often overlooked issue. CPDCNGSP President Rodrigues expressed disappointment that the Sao Paulo State Government fails to financially support many agencies dealing with disadvantaged groups, including women, children and senior citizens, impacting the programs her entity can run. Government agencies handling diversity and discrimination, as well as those working on education and health, need greater integration to improve the lives of Afro-Brazilians, CONE's de Laia commented. Federal, state and local offices in large urban areas charged with this portfolio are making progress but smaller and more rural cities and towns lack basic support for such initiatives. Maria da Penha Guimaraes, IBBF Legal Coordinator, noted that government initiatives help the poor and disadvantaged in general rather than targeting Afro-Brazilians, adding that many laws are not enforced, further complicating anti-discrimination efforts. The government is effective in providing basic food aid to the poor, of whom many are Afro-Brazilians, but does not build an "infrastructure" for personal growth and development or mechanisms to help improve the community as a whole, she said.

    The Private Sector as a Model? ------------------------------

    ¶7. (SBU) Researcher de Freitas assisted in a major project on social and racial issues in the workplace which demonstrated that the private sector may be ahead of government in some anti-discrimination efforts. His findings also highlighted that challenges remain. Many businesses in Brazil, including even large corporations, are family-owned and conduct business with other family-operated companies. Black Brazilian families do not have a history of owning large businesses and therefore have difficulty competing. Because of the nature of family ownership and the fact that the rich attend the same schools and religious and social organizations, networking is extremely important. Blacks do not belong to these same networks and therefore face this additional obstacle. According to de Freitas, many businesses are moving away from hiring based purely on networking, potentially opening the field to more blacks.

    Divisions within Afro-Brazilian Community -----------------------------------------

    ¶8. (SBU) Contacts repeated that unity is a major challenge for the Afro-Brazilian community in fighting discrimination. Da Penha of IBBF said Afro-Brazilians are divided based on various "shades of blackness." As she explained it, "darker" blacks do not consider "lighter" blacks to be "real" Afro-Brazilians and do not cooperate on common causes. Many "lighter-skinned" Afro-Brazilians also do not rally around the black cause to avoid having society group them with Afro-Brazilians as a whole, and some Afro-Brazilians do not even recognize themselves as black. De Freitas commented that black people suffer from prejudice perpetrated not only by non-blacks, but also by "lighter-skinned" blacks, who are sometimes the most virulent racists because they consider themselves better than

    SAO PAULO 00000895 003 OF 003

    "darker" blacks because of their lighter skin tone. Rodrigues said that while there is a national movement to address these issues, it does not get much attention because Brazilians are more concerned about immediate problems such as their next meal or paycheck. Da Penha said that the Afro-Brazilian rights movement needs mre unity and structure, but more importantly, blcks must change their mentality and gain confidene to battle racism. Mauricio Pestana, a 2006 IVand prominent Afro-Brazilian political commentator also called for greater cooperation, saying tha a serious lack of leadership prevents black Brailians from pressing for more rights. Brazil does not have a Martin Luther King, Jr., he said, and wthout one, internal fighting and the absence of common effort are impeding progress. In attorny Tobias' opinion, this lack of a culture of organized activism to promote change is a serious problem. Many blacks do not want to "fight" because they believe that whites will always have more power. She added that Afro-Brazilians do not want to help each other because doing so would highlight their "blackness" and make them lose favor among whites.

    Other Challenges Remain -----------------------

    ¶9. (SBU) CPDCNGSP President Rodrigues lamented the fact that the majority of Afro-Brazilians serve in poorer paying jobs and are not represented in senior state government offices. She said part of the problem is because power is often passed down from father to son in Brazil, and it is therefore difficult for blacks to hold leadership positions if historically they have never had any. CONE's de Laia argued that an overwhelming number of Afro-Brazilian descendants live in shantytowns and represent the demographic with the lowest education level in Brazil. No matter what successes Afro-Brazilians have achieved, whites still have an easier time finding jobs and securing a higher salary, adding that there are no major Afro-Brazilian business executives. Rodrigues also criticized severe police brutality aimed at blacks in custody, but said the Council is working on this issue through a mandatory diversity training course for all incoming police officers created in 2005. De Laia said that black youth are particularly prone to problems because they regularly resort to violence to resolve disputes. She said police often do not pursue the possibility of hate- or race-related motives in crimes perpetrated against Afro-Brazilians specifically because law enforcement denies or ignores the existence of racism.

    Comment ------

    ¶10. (SBU) The plight of Afro-Brazilians is a complicated issue that sheds the myth - advanced in the 1930's by renowned sociologist Gilberto Freyre - of "racial democracy" as a key component of Brazil's "luso-tropical civilization," warm and friendly people, beautiful beaches, laid-back music and a carefree lifestyle. Racism is a serious problem that impacts the lives of millions of Brazilians. It limits their educational and social opportunities, which, in turn, hinders their entry into the workforce and participation in the mainstream economy. Both the public and private sectors have an obligation to take serious steps in addressing deficiencies, but the real question is whether Brazilians as a whole are ready to acknowledge the problem and willing to take action. Doing so would require them to move past decades of discrimination and change their whole mindset on race and culture. Undoubtedly this will be an issue of growing importance in Brazil for years to come. End Comment.

    ¶11. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Brasilia.

    WHITE

`