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| Joaquim Barbosa |
He was sworn
in on Thursday, November 22. Although Brazil has 192 milion people black
population Barbosa became the only black to ever serve in the court when he
joined it in 2003.
His swearing-in was witnessed
by a number of Brazilian dignitaries including President Dilma Rousseff,
members of her Cabinet, state governors, congressional leaders and several
sports and entertainment personalities.
"Ophir
Cavalcante, president of the Brazilian Bar Association in a speech during the
swearing in ceremony observed that “multiculturalism that characterizes the
Brazilian people is evident here today with Joaquim Barbosa heading the highest
court of the land."
“Barbosa as Supreme Court president has a strong symbolic impact for
Brazilian blacks,” adding that “The new generations of blacks will have the
opportunity that my generation never had – of seeing a black man presiding over
one of the three branches of government." Valter Silveiro, coordinator of
the Center for Afro-Brazilian Studies of the University of Sao Carlos, said.
Barbosa was born
in 1954 in the small town of Paracatu in Minas Gerais state, where his father
worked as a bricklayer.
Barbosa, has a
two-year tenure as Supreme Court president.
Congratulations sir. I must urge the Brazilian government to do more to
improve the lots of its black populace. That Barbosa is the only black in
Brazilian Supreme Court as at 2003 leaves more questions to be answered.
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