The ‘European capital of Brazil’ moves to expel Black politician from office – again

State congressman Renato Freitas, 41, was the first city councillor in Curitiba’s history to be removed from office in 2022. He is now facing removal proceedings again. Photograph: Tiago Rogero/The Guardian

In the more than 300-year history of the Brazilian city of Curitiba, no city councillor had ever been removed from office until 2022, when a promising young Black local politician was forced out.

Renato Freitas had been accused of “breaching parliamentary decorum” by leading an anti-racism protest that ended inside a Catholic church – ironically named Church of the Black Men and built by enslaved people in the 18th century.