Senate approves Statute of Racial Equality

Last night the Senate approved a Statute of Racial Equality, which means that it will now go to president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to be signed into law.

Some of the most controversial articles in the statute, creating a quota system in political parties and specific policies in health care for Afro-Brazilians were removed from the final text.
The statute took seven years to get congressional approval.

Deputy Edison Santos, a former head of the Special Secretariat for Racial Equality Policies, declared that the statute as approved consists of precepts that meet the expectations of Brazil’s Negro community.