Brazilian Literary Prize Winner Threatened after Lecture at School

Author of 'O Avesso da Pele' says he lives 'state of terror' after messages he received on social media

When writer Jeferson Tenório was in São Paulo two weeks ago completing the publicity tour for his book "O Avesso da Pele", he received threatening messages on his Instagram profile because of a lecture scheduled for days later at a school in Salvador.

In them, the profile user "student_anonymous123" says he is "invoked in disgrace," curses the writer and the book, which won the 2021 Jabuti Prize, and says that it would be better for him to leave the country or, otherwise, Tenório would have his CPF canceled —an expression used to refer to the death of someone. "If you don't go to school, we're fine. But if you go, you already know. It's like a steel squad," reads an excerpt from the messages.

Escritor Jeferson Tenório, autor de "O avesso da pele", obra vencedora do prêmio Jabuti, que fala de relações entre pais e filhos e racismo estrutural na sociedade
Writer Jeferson Tenório - Carlos Macedo/Divulgação

Tenório informed the publisher Companhia das Letras and the school where the event would be held, Land School, which offers bilingual education, about the messages. The lecture ended up being held in online format for security reasons, even with his presence in the Bahian capital. The writer also registered a police report with the Civil Police of Bahia and avoided going out unaccompanied in Salvador. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he has been living in Porto Alegre for years. The Bahia Civil Police says that steps to identify the perpetrator of the crime have already been started and that the writer will be interviewed. The case became public last week, after another profile, identified as "BaheaNaVeia," with the image of the Esporte Clube Bahia team, sent threats again to the writer, even after the lecture. "I tell you not to go there, you get scared and do this shit online," says one of the messages. "Better get out of the country. I have your address, you're fucked. Asshole." The decision to bring the case to light was evaluated by Tenório, along with people close to him. The writer even shared a report from the newspaper O Globo about the threats to his more than 20,000 followers on a social network.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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