Afro-religious candidates react to violence, study says

The Brazilian election scenario of 2024 brings to light an interesting analysis of religiously biased candidates. The High Electoral Court (TSE) notes that out of 463,386 candidate registrations, 8,731 have this characteristic, a reflection of the country's religious diversity. A striking feature is that only 3.3% of these are associated with beliefs of African origin, according to a study conducted by the Zinga Research Group at the Universitat Federal Fluminense (UFF).

Team Coordinator, Ana Paula Mendes MirandaAgência Brasil explains that this analysis was made possible by an extensive survey that crossed data from TSE, candidates' social media profiles and news websites. This initiative is not just to record numbers but to understand the reason for the low number of Afro-religious candidates and the violence these communities face.

Why is the number of Afro-religious candidates so low?

One of the factors pointed to the low number of candidates from African-based religions is the historical resistance of these communities to political involvement. Many religious leaders believe that their practices should be isolated from the public sphere. However, the growing violence against terreros is causing a shift in position. Candidates see politics as a way to fight for rights and protect their communities.

What are the main problems faced by candidates of African descent?

The violence perpetrated on the Umbanda and Candomble Terreiros has been a major impetus for the rise of African-based candidates. According to data from the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, there has been a significant increase in cases of religious intolerance in 2023, with 80% of violations centered on these religions. This creates a more active response from these communities, who seek representation to ensure protection and respect for their religious practices.

Representation and Identity in Religious Candidates

Since the Nas elections 2024, there has been a strong presence of Afro-religious candidates in states such as Bahia, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, however, there has been a significant increase in Rio de Janeiro. Like traditional clothes and names “pie” e “mother” De Santo is highly significant not only as a cultural symbol but also as a political statement.

• 395 religious candidates in the state of Rio de Janeiro
• 41 are associated with African-based beliefs
• Evangelicals accounted for 88.4% of religious nominations

Parties and Religion Brazil

In the analysis of party affiliations, candidates from African-based religions show a greater tendency to associate with progressive parties such as the PSOL. There is a predominance of agendas linked to human rights and the protection of minorities. This contrasts with the evangelical scene, which has strong ties to diverse and conservative parties.

The rise of evangelical candidates is linked to concerted political programs such as the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, which seek to influence the religious and electoral sectors. These dynamics suggest that Brazil could become majority evangelical by 2030 if the current growth trend of this religious group continues.