Brazil's federal police have detained a Spanish citizen at São Paulo's Guarulhos international airport on charges of racism, marking the latest in a series of high-profile arrests of foreign tourists under Brazil's stringent anti-racism laws. The incident occurred on 29 November 2024, when the woman allegedly directed racially abusive remarks at workers unloading baggage from a Latam airlines flight arriving from the northeastern city of São Luis.
Strict anti-racism laws in Brazil
Brazil has some of the strictest anti-racism laws in Latin America. Insulting a person on the basis of race carries a penalty of imprisonment from two to five years and a fine. The crew of the Latam flight called police, who arrested the Spanish national as she disembarked. Police stated that the alleged remarks were directed at the workers who unload the aircraft's baggage.
Airline condemns aggression
Latam airlines said that there was no justification for the aggression directed at its employees and condemned all forms of racism and discrimination. The company emphasized its commitment to a respectful work environment.
Previous high-profile cases
This arrest follows several other incidents involving foreign tourists. In January, Argentine citizen Agostina Páez was arrested in Rio after being filmed mimicking a monkey toward a waiter at a nightclub. The video went viral. Initially barred from leaving Brazil, Páez returned to Argentina in April, where she met with Senator Patricia Bullrich, a close ally of President Javier Milei. Both celebrated her return, though legal proceedings are ongoing.
In May, police arrested another Argentine, Eduardo Ignacio Murias, in Minas Gerais for allegedly photographing and filming a young child without authorization and sharing the images with racist messages in Spanish. According to local news outlet G1, a court indicted Murias on 17 June, and he remains in pretrial detention.
Also in May, police arrested a Chilean citizen for racial and homophobic slurs against crew members on a flight between Guarulhos and Frankfurt. The suspect attempted to open the aircraft door during the flight and, when restrained, uttered racial and homophobic slurs against the crew, according to a 15 May statement.
Broader context
These incidents have sparked discussions about racism in Brazil and the treatment of foreign tourists. Brazil's anti-racism laws are among the toughest in the region, and authorities have been increasingly enforcing them in high-profile cases involving foreign nationals.
