Insider

Bolsonaro discusses visas for “Christian Afghans,” not provided by law

afghan Bolsonaro walks to the UN stage. Photo: Alan Santos/PR
Bolsonaro walks to the UN stage. Photo: Alan Santos/PR

While addressing the 76th UN General Assembly this morning, President Jair Bolsonaro said Brazil will grant “humanitarian visas for Christians, women, children, and Afghan judges” when briefly commenting on the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, a Muslim-majority country. Earlier this month, the government announced it would grant humanitarian visas to a limited number of Afghan citizens.

Legislation on the matter, however, does not mention any religious criterion — nor could it, as it would be against Brazilian law.

Mr. Bolsonaro also talked about Brazil ratifying the Inter-American Convention Against Racism and Other Related Forms of Intolerance. In the following sentence, however, the Brazilian president said he considers “traditional family settings [read: heterosexual ones] as the bedrock of civilization.”