Brazil opposed on Wednesday (17) the creation of a UN Human Rights Council (HRC) commission to investigate cases of police violence against blacks that occurred in the United States.
"The problem of racism is not unique to any particular region. It is a scourge deeply rooted in many parts of the world, affecting a large part of humanity," said Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo, representative of Brazil's permanent mission to the UN in Geneva.
According to activists and diplomats, US and Australian officials pressured African countries to adopt a softer language in the draft text on the commission. The latest version, which the Reuters agency had access to, does not cite the United States.
The text proposes that the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, "establish the facts and circumstances related to systemic racism" and the alleged use of excessive force, and report its findings in 12 months. But it does not include the creation of a commission of inquiry dedicated exclusively to the topic.
The United States left the Council in June 2018, accusing the body of being hypocritical and having an anti-Israel bias.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon