Brazil is considering adopting the principle of extraterritoriality in the face of racist attacks on Vinicius

Brazilian Minister of Justice, Flavio Dinohe stated today that Brazil studies that adopt the principle of extraterritoriality in the case racist attacks on soccer player Vinicius Júnior if you feel that the authorities of Spain are leaving them out.

“We are studying the possibility of applying the principle known as extraterritoriality. The Criminal Code provides that, in some exceptional situations, it is possible to apply Brazilian law in the case crimes against Brazilians even abroad»said the minister in statements to journalists. Dino clarified that for now it is about studying the possibilities in “the eventuality that we consider that the Spanish authorities have left out”.

In a message published on his Twitter, he clarified that the Criminal Code provides that the Brazilian judiciary can use the principle, if the Government requests it, as an “extreme remedy” for a crime suffered by a Brazilian abroad.

It is, says Dino, a tool that can be useful “in case of inertness of the competent authorities and which can act as a response to unjust attacks on a compatriot”. Faced with criticism arising from his statements, the minister published another message in which he clarified that this possibility is only being analyzed and that it depends on various factors. “I just want to remind you that this is provided for in the Criminal Code, because some question my mention as a last resort.” I consider it useful that everyone knows about the existence of this protection of the rights of Brazilians. By the way, that principle exists in Spain and in other countries,” he said.

The minister made the decision on the case after the Brazilian government “in the strongest terms” rejected the racist insults that Vinicius Júnior “suffers repeatedly in Spain” and demanded that the government and the country’s football authorities, as well as FIFA, take “effective” measures

In a harsh official statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed “deep regret that no effective measures have been taken so far to prevent and avoid the repetition of these acts of racism.”

The note emphasized the “seriousness of the events” that took place at the Mestalla stadium on Sunday, in a match between Valencia and Real Madrid for the Spanish league, in which the Brazilian international was once again the subject of racist abuse. In its statement, Brazil “calls on the Spanish government and sports authorities to take the necessary measures to punish those responsible and prevent the repetition of these acts”, as well as addressing, in the same sense, “FIFA, the Spanish Federation and LaLiga”.