Brazil's Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida fired after allegations of sexual harassment

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva fired Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida on Friday after he was accused of sexually harassing several women, including another cabinet minister.

“Given the nature of the allegations of sexual harassment, the president considers it untenable to keep the minister in office,” said a statement from Lula's office.

Police investigations have been launched, it said.

Almeida, an activist for the legal protection of minority rights, protested his innocence in a statement after losing his post, adding that he had asked President Lula to fire him to create “freedom” for the investigation.

“It will be an opportunity for me to prove my innocence and rebuild myself… The facts must be revealed so that I can defend myself in court,” he said.

Before his dismissal, Almeida had described the allegations as baseless and “absurd lies” in a video previously shared on social media.

One of the women allegedly harassed was Minister for Racial Equality Anielle Franco, local media reported.

Franco, also a human rights activist, issued a statement on Friday thanking those who had shown her support despite the news.

“I ask that you respect my space and my right to privacy,” she said on the social media platform Instagram. “I will contribute to the investigation whenever I am asked to do so.”

Her sister, former Rio de Janeiro city councilor Marielle Franco, was murdered along with her driver in 2018. The case made international headlines.

“Those who practice harassment will not remain in the government,” Lula said earlier in an interview with a local radio station.

Both Franco and Almeida have been part of the cabinet since the beginning of Lula's current term in 2023 and are considered important human rights activists in Brazil.