Activist of the black movement confirms pre-candidature to the Senate for Amazonas; formalization should occur on the 29th

Priscilla Peixoto – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – “Our pretension and desire to be pre-candidate to the Senate means the end of the political ‘viralism’ in Amazonas and of the oligarchies. Our fight is not against the empires of the candidates, but against the lack of awareness of the voter himself, in which the system thinks he should stay in this role of society’s shock absorber”, the statement is from the Amazonian jurist and activist of the black cause and human rights, Christian Rocha, 37, who confirmed on the last day 21 the pre-candidacy to the Senate, in a meeting with the board of the National Institute Afro Origin (Inaô) and activism partners.

It seems that the member of the black movement will join the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), but according to the pre-candidate, the official announcement, as well as the party to which he will join, will be released next Tuesday, the 29th, by means of a public notice. The decision makes Christian the first black candidate from Amazonas for the Senate.

“I can say that I have one foot in PSOL, because I want to continue building and debating the candidacy. I accepted this challenge, I talked to the pedagogical coordinator of Inaô, Izete Santos, who encourages me and believes in me, as well as the member of the National Coordination of Articulation of Quilombos (Conaq), Selma Andina. I am willing and very confident with the movement of negritude, women, quilombolas, and youth,” says the president of Inaô, who says he has the support of 41 bases in the Amazonas municipalities.

Representativeness and diversity

When questioned about the reading of the current political scenario in relation to measures that assist and promote diversity, as a whole, enabling representation in power spaces, the pre-candidate criticizes the lack of initiative of local politicians and considers that most parties are not interested in combating social and racial issues.

“They talk about equality to cover up a large part of society that is unaware of its own history. The country is multiracial and cultural, although we have the second largest black population in the world, Brazil is unequal, although full of statutes, does not respect the child, the elderly, the homosexual, the woman, the handicapped, and the delay in judicial processes and the wide reform of the penal code gives Brazil the air of impunity,” points out Christian, who adds.

“Our politicians are, for the most part, businessmen. First, unfortunately, elections are auctions; for them, the one who pays the most wins, and with this a political job market is created, which becomes a family business, where they put their children and nephews without an agenda, without a flag. They invest to later recover what they spent. Far beyond the black cause, my fight and the fight of those who support me is for women, the LGBQTIA+ population, umbandistas, capoeiristas, evangelicals, Catholics, umbandistas and candomblecistas, spiritualists, and all those who deserve the due respect and quality politics,” points out the pre-candidate.

Public Policies

Christian highlights the need to elaborate initiatives to fight social inequality and recognizes that implementing projects and public policies for the generation of employment and income, especially for those considered to be more vulnerable, will not be an easy path, if elected.

“I’m aware that it won’t be an easy fight, but what empowers me is that all my life I’ve been doing voluntary work without money, which no politician, not even one with a mandate and money, has ever done. I am not willing to put myself forward to be just a name, to the Senate, for Amazonas. I am willing to face an overwhelming field, where I know that business lobbies and dark interests are at stake. If it is God’s will and the construction of the party I am going to join, I will be able to have a good campaign”.

The lawyer from the state of Amazonas also points out that there are no demands for public policies or bills from the federal bench, or from politicians from the state of Amazonas, in the Federal Congress, to confront violence against black women, young black men and the disparity in the job market. In the reading of the pre-candidate, the trans population, the elderly, the black population, and the residents of the so-called peripheries urgently need more worked public policies, in addition to vocational and preparatory courses for competitions in the communities, through parliamentary amendments.

“The trans community suffers. The periphery, for example, the only public policy they know, most of the time, is the police, and I’m not against that, the police have to do their role, going everywhere. But we have to go beyond and generate opportunities and changes for these people. Our State has a fundamental role in the Legal Amazon and in the international scenario; what has the Federal Congress done about all these points?

About Christian

Christian Rocha da Costa, 41, from Manaus, son of an educator and a federal public employee, has two brothers. Bachelor in Law and post-graduate in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, Christian has already run for city councilor in Manaus, in the 2020 elections, for PSB, but was not elected.

Besides fighting racism and discrimination, the pre-candidate has developed professionalizing courses and lectures for socially vulnerable families in the South and East zones of the capital. The current president of Inaô is the author of the black consciousness holiday at the municipal level.

The health of the black population is also one of the activist’s agendas. In August 2021, Christian alleged ‘ignorance’ of the Amazonas Legislative Assembly members on the subject. For Christian Rocha, the behavior of politicians regarding the issue shows the unpreparedness and the real sense of the need for public policies that promote equity among the population.