Dec 2, 2024 Story by: Editor
Key positions in Brazilian politics have long been, and still are, dominated by individuals with familial ties to the enslavement of people, according to the Escravizadores Project (Slavers Project), a groundbreaking investigation by Agência Pública, supported by the Pulitzer Center. This study traced the lineage of over 100 Brazilian political figures from the Executive and Legislative branches, uncovering direct links to ancestors who exploited enslaved labor.
Findings of the Investigation
The analysis revealed that out of 116 politicians reviewed, at least 33 had ancestors tied to slavery. Among Brazil’s eight presidents since the end of the 1964 dictatorship, four—José Sarney, Fernando Collor, Itamar Franco, and Fernando Henrique Cardoso—are descendants of enslavers.
The study also found that 16 of the current 81 senators, about 20%, share similar ancestral links. These include prominent figures such as Cid Ferreira Gomes of Ceará, former Bolsonaro chief of staff Ciro Nogueira, and ex-Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina. Nearly half of Brazil’s 27 state governors—13 in total—also fall within this category, with governors from São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro among them.
Despite these revelations, many politicians reportedly had no knowledge of their family histories or relationships with their enslaver ancestors.
Historical Context of Enslaved Labor
The ancestors of these public figures employed enslaved individuals in various capacities, from plantation labor to domestic work. For instance, former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s great-great-grandfather, Colonel José Manoel da Silva e Oliveira, was documented as using enslaved labor during an 18th-century gold exploration in Minas Gerais, where several individuals died from disease.
Other records illustrate how enslaved individuals were involved in the planting and harvesting of crops like sugarcane, cotton, and tobacco. Some enslaved people lived with their enslavers, tending to household duties or serving as personal attendants. According to historian Joana Rezende, “It wasn’t just large landowners who had enslaved people, but also merchants and individuals with small properties who used them for local production or rented them to others.”
Methodology of the Study
The investigation employed genealogy techniques developed in partnership with researchers from the Núcleo de Estudos Paranaenses at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), coordinated by sociologist Ricardo Oliveira. By analyzing civil records, church archives, and historical documents, the project documented over 200 family connections. “This continuity of wealth, inheritance, and power reflects structures formed through imperial and colonial alliances,” Oliveira explained.
However, due to limited documentation, the study could not fully uncover all genealogical ties to slavery. Agência Pública contacted all 33 politicians identified for comment on the findings.
Broader Implications of Brazil’s Slaveholding Past
Slavery played a central role in Brazil’s colonization, serving as the backbone of the economy and generating wealth for Portuguese and Brazilian-born elites. Historian Danilo Marques highlighted that enslaved individuals were brought to Brazil as early as the 1550s, coinciding with the establishment of sugar mills in the northeast. Stories of resistance, such as the creation of quilombos (communities of escaped enslaved individuals), also emerged during this period.
Dr. Alain El Youssef, a historian from the University of São Paulo, noted that while slavery existed in other societies, Brazil’s practice was uniquely commercialized, deeply embedding it into the colonial economy. “In African societies, slavery was often the result of conflicts, not a trade system,” he emphasized.
Dr. Valéria Gomes Costa, a historian from the Federal University of Pernambuco, argued that Brazil’s abolition of slavery without restitution left a profound and unpayable debt to the descendants of enslaved people. “The Republican state failed to provide citizenship, housing, education, or healthcare to the Black population,” she stated.
Calls for Reparations and Historical Accountability
The need for reparations and historical reflection is gaining momentum in Brazil. One recent example involved Banco do Brasil, which faced a civil inquiry after its historical ties to the slave trade were uncovered. Rezende advocates for the preservation and study of slavery-related documents as part of Brazil’s reparations efforts. “These records offer critical insights into how enslaved individuals were treated and perceived, often through the biased lens of their enslavers,” she observed.
Rezende emphasized that this work should be a state-led initiative, involving dedicated funding for research and preservation. “It is the government’s responsibility to recover this memory and foster critical reflection on this dark chapter of our history,” she concluded. Source: Pulitzer Center
