Spanish citizen detained at São Paulo airport on racism charges

Brazil’s federal police detained a Spanish citizen at São Paulo’s international Guarulhos airport after the crew of a Latam flight arriving from the north-eastern city of São Luis called police. She was arrested as she disembarked, accused of making racially abusive remarks directed at the workers who unload the aircraft’s baggage.

Insulting a person on the basis of race carries a penalty of two to five years’ imprisonment and a fine under Brazil’s strict anti-racism laws. Latam said there was no justification for the aggression directed at its employees and condemned all forms of racism and discrimination.

The detention is the latest in a series of high-profile arrests of foreign tourists on similar grounds. In January, an Argentinian, Agostina Páez, was arrested in Rio after being filmed mimicking a monkey toward a waiter; the video went viral. Initially barred from leaving Brazil, she eventually returned to Argentina in April, where images showed her meeting Patricia Bullrich; legal proceedings are still ongoing.

Brazil, São Paulo

spanish citizen, guarulhos airport, são paulo, latam, são luis, federal police, racial abuse, anti-racism laws, agostina páez, patricia bullrich