By Rennan Rebello | Melissa Rocha | Ludmilla Zeger
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In an interview with Sputnik Brasil, experts analyze the expansion of neo-Nazi cells in Brazil, especially in the South, and explain how this trend refers to the attempts of the German Third Reich to make the country one of its bases for spreading Nazi ideology throughout the world.
The debate surrounding the rise of neo-Nazism in the world tends to focus on Europe, especially in Germany and Ukraine. However, the ideology has also been spreading across Brazil, where there is a high incidence of neo-Nazi cells.
Last week, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) sent a report to the United Nations (UN) in which it classified the growth of neo-Nazi groups in Brazil as alarming. The document warns that the rise of neo-Nazism is linked to the increase in the number of attacks in schools.
The spread of Nazi ideology is observed throughout Brazil, but more seriously in the southern region, especially in the state of Santa Catarina, which according to the CNDH has the most worrying scenario.
According to a report made in 2022 by anthropologist Adriana Dias, a researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) a reference in research on neo-Nazism in Brazil, who died in 2023, the number of neo-Nazi cells in Brazil jumped from 72 in 2015 to 1,115 in 2022.
In the ranking of states with the highest concentration of Nazi cells, the three from the South are in the first five positions, led by Santa Catarina, with 320 cells, followed by São Paulo (268), Paraná (197), Rio Grande do Sul (159 ) and Rio de Janeiro (61).
In an interview with Sputnik Brasil, experts analyze the causes of the rise of neo-Nazism in Brazil, why the South region is the most fertile for the spread of this ideology and how to combat the advance of extremist cells in the country.
The origin of Nazism in Brazil
For Odilon Caldeira Neto, professor of contemporary history at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) and coordinator of the Extreme Right Observatory, the root of Nazism in Brazil "origins with the construction of cells of the German Nazi Party in Brazil, which were entities focused on the spread of Nazism among German immigrants and children of immigrants who settled in the country". However, he emphasizes that the phenomenon of neo-Nazism is different.
"It does not have a direct relationship, although ideologically it may have a relationship with the phenomenon of historical Nazism, but neo-Nazism has some credentials, some characteristics that are particular."
He states that the phenomenon of neo-Nazism in Brazil is divided into two phases: the first from the 1980s to the year 2000, fostered by neo-Nazi skinhead groups, Holocaust deniers and entities that tried to formalize neo-Nazism during the democratic transition. From the 2000s onwards, the situation became more complex, with neo-Nazism gaining greater penetration into the social fabric, greater radicalization and integration into the national scene.
"This is the result of several factors. I would say that from the national political context, which to some extent brings some possibilities for the advancement of neo-Nazi groups, but, above all, the use of digital media. These groups will form through platforms drawing inspiration from international references, but also, to some extent, seeking to adapt these issues to the Brazilian reality."
He adds that this adaptation includes separatist discourses, which spread not only in the South and Southeast regions, and accelerationism.
"So, in general, it is necessary to understand this situation in terms of its complexity, in terms of the constituent groups in this very diverse universe, which is not only present in the south of the country."
Brazil on the route to Nazi Germany's Third Reich
The origin of Nazi ideology in Brazil goes back to the rise of Nazism in Germany, according to Marcia Carneiro, professor and doctor in social history, with a post-doctorate in education from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF); associate professor in the History Department of the Institute of Society and Regional Development Sciences; professor in the professional master's degree in history teaching, at UFF, and in the Postgraduate Program in Regional Development, Environment and Public Policies (PPGDAP/UFF); and coordinator of the Laboratory for the Study of Rights and Authoritarianism (LEDA/UFF).
According to Carneiro, Brazil and Argentina were on the route of the Third Reich's expansion plans beyond German and European borders.
"Mario G. Losano [Italian philosopher] describes the creation of 'vassal states' as a strategic role in the conduct of the war, conceiving them as strong German allies. In the case of South America, Germany's relations with its colonies in South America would serve as a distraction for the United States, removing their focus on helping the English ally in the war in Europe, forcing them to focus on the American continent itself. "
Carneiro points to research by professor Ana Maria Dietrich that indicates that "the Nazi Party abroad was present in 83 countries around the world, with 29 thousand members", which followed the same rules and foundations for all countries where there were German colonies.
"In this case, the Nazi Party in Brazil was made up of 2,900 members, one of the largest of the 83 countries integrated into this Nazi project. And one of the conditions that allowed this expansion in Brazil was the 'friendly' relationship between Vargas and Hitler in the 1990s. 1930 in economic, political and institutional terms, such as the agreement to train Brazilian police officers by the Gestapo [secret police of Nazi Germany]."
She also points out the existence of integralism, a movement that preached the creation of a fourth humanity, under the command of a Brazilian cosmic race, which would lead "a corporate State project that can be understood in its organicity in the motto 'God, Homeland and Family' ".
"'God' [in this project] represents the divine inspiration to govern, and not an anointed one; 'Homeland' represents nationalism, with the defense of wealth and culture (moral and folk); and 'Family' would be the representation of the family traditional nuclear structure, in which the father represents the primary dimension of the State, as he heads the family nucleus, being the provider […], [and] the mother, in the family nucleus, represents the woman dedicated to the home, the education of the children and in the care of her husband. It is worth saying that the integralist woman must be an active activist, but protecting the feminine side, as wife and mother, as the movement determined."
Expansion of neo-Nazism as a global phenomenon
Former senator and leader of the Humaniza SC Movement and former minister in the Dilma Rousseff government, Ideli Salvatti highlights that the rise of neo-Nazism and extremism is not a trend restricted to Brazil, but a global issue. She points to the use of similar symbols, such as the Israeli flag, in extremist demonstrations as an indication.
"So much so that the UN General Assembly, on December 19 last year, based on resolution 78/190, maintained and renewed the commission that is working on this topic. And the objective of the commission is to combat the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to exacerbating contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance Because this is, unfortunately, the scenario we experience in the world."
Neo-Nazi cells appropriated right-wing rhetoric around the world, radicalizing political discourse and creating an extremist current. According to Salvatti, this global extremist current has elements and foundations that in many aspects are close to Nazism.
"And in Brazil it is no different. So we are currently experiencing this climate of hatred, violence, armament, prejudice, discrimination and, also, the growth of Nazi cells themselves."
Why is the South region the most affected?
Asked why there is a higher incidence of neo-Nazi cells in the South, Neto states that neo-Nazi groups "imagine the south of the country as a territory of racial purity and seek, based on this imagined and imaginary idea, to project an idea of neo-Nazism to these regions".
"These groups are formed by the spread of neo-Nazism, not only from an ideological point of view, but also Nazism as a reference for a measure of rupture and revolt against the state of things. And often this discourse will meet with others that deal with issues such as anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, fatphobia, homophobia, misogyny, racism. In other words, there is a very diverse, complex phenomenon, which takes on different shades and platforms and also challenges to security, because it ranges from the radicalization of individuals to the radicalization of individuals. the maximum exponent, such as attacks or attacks on schools."
Salvatti emphasizes that there are many elements in Brazil that contribute to the spread of neo-Nazism, which include "a differentiated colonization in territorial, regional, European terms, even prior to the First and Second World Wars, but which maintained very deep ties with its countries source".
"I say this here from the South of Brazil, where German colonization and Italian colonization, despite the majority [of immigrants] having arrived here before the emergence of fascism and Nazism, […] maintained deep connections with the countries of origin and, therefore, [were] permeable to this exchange of information and, I would even say, training", explains the former minister.
She also adds that after the Second World War, Argentina and the South of Brazil received, probably Nazi war criminals, who settled in the region.
"It is also good to always remember that integralism was a very strong party in Brazil, but especially here in the South. The largest integralist contingents were organized, formed, installed in the South of Brazil, and in Santa Catarina in particular. And we all know that integralism has a strong connection with the ideological basis of Nazism and fascism. So it is this set of elements that ends up taking root, in certain situations, in certain groups of Santa Catarina society in the south of the country."
According to Marcia Carneiro, research on fascist movements in Brazil must take into account "white supremacist movements in global terms and which find representation among regional populations of European origin in relation to European phenotypes".
"These are profound, economic and social issues that affect the continents on which imperialism was forged, on the civilizing establishment of the eugenic conceptions of social Darwinism, which considers white superiority over other ethnic groups."
Internet as a disseminator of neo-Nazism
If the expansion of neo-Nazism is a contemporary global phenomenon, the Internet, especially social networks, is the mechanism that amplified the rhetoric of the ideology around the world, connecting and articulating groups identified with such ideas. As Salvatti points out, the Internet and social networks have been instrumentalized due to algorithms that facilitate the dissemination of this content.
"The business of social networks is likes and the algorithms themselves built from such visualization — it is much easier to have content that is violent, that is sealing, that facilitates, enhances even more the dissemination, the dissemination [of content extremist]. Then you have certain instruments that were purchased by people who have ties to the ideology."
How to combat the spread of neo-Nazism
According to Salvatti, combating the spread of Nazi ideology is slow and difficult work, "because it is very easy to spread a lie, something violent, but the culture of peace is always a more difficult culture to consolidate."
"Especially in these times of social networks, which do not help us in any way to do this work.
But it is very important to maintain all the work, the actions to combat this ultra-right, fascist, Nazi, violent, discriminatory ideology", she explains .
She also adds that "regulating social networks and the Internet is absolutely essential."
"It's not a no man's land [the Internet]. Nothing there that is criminal in everyday life, in everyday life, in social life, in people's relationships, everything that is characterized as a crime, will also have to be done the equivalent on the networks social networks and on the Internet. So the regulation of big tech and social networks is absolutely essential for us to be able to confront [neo-Nazism]."
Salvatti points out that both the Executive, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Federal Supreme Court (STF) are aware of the importance of taking measures against the spread of Nazism. However, this work is more difficult in the Legislature because there are extremist groups in Congress that are strengthened.
"We even managed to vote in the Senate on the regulation of the project that worked along the lines of regulating big techs and networks. But in the Chamber they canceled everything.
Even with all the attack suffered on national sovereignty, clearly demonstrating that it is not just a communication problem , it's not just a business problem, it's a problem of the country's sovereignty [in relation] to an instrument so strong that it is said to be above the country's laws. So in the Legislature the issue is quite difficult", he states.
"I would say that the biggest difficulty, in fact, currently is in the Legislatures, because of the bench, and they think they can do what they want, they hide behind freedom of expression, impunity — I wouldn't say immunity anymore, it's parliamentary impunity They even give themselves the right to plot against the country in the United States", he adds.
She also points out that society has a "little job" in its daily life to combat extremist culture and "value the culture of peace, coexistence, social inclusion, respect for others, empathy".
Salvatti points out that the work of Humaniza SC, a movement created on November 22, 2022, shortly after the second round of the presidential elections, aims precisely to contribute to the fight against extremist ideology that preferentially attacks women, black people, the LGBTQIA+ population and people with disabilities, and promotes xenophobia.
"We worked throughout the 22nd, 23rd, 24th without stopping. Because here [in Santa Catarina], every week, every time, we have absurd situations, like mayors and the governor saying that there is no need to vaccinate, that it is not mandatory to vaccinate for children go to class. Here we have the question of what and overcoming the homeless population is not about getting them off the street, it's about getting them out of sight. The issue of compulsory hospitalization, which is even something that has legislation preventing this from happening, […] here they do it, execute it, place it at the center of the policy for people living on the streets. We have the issue of violence: it is one of the states where we have one of the highest rates of femicide. So here everything is very strong, which requires us to do this work of articulating Humaniza SC."
However, she states that none of these themes, as well as the advance of neo-Nazism, is something exclusive to Santa Catarina, and emphasizes that this extremist trend "does not match the nature and history of Santa Catarina".
"We love Santa Catarina, and we all love and recognize this state as a state of solidarity, a state of struggles, a state where we have made many significant advances. We have recognized national and international personalities here in Santa Catarina, exactly in the humanist vision, such as Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, Dona Zilda Arns, Bishop Dom José Gomes."
Neto, in turn, states that the fight against neo-Nazism in Brazil cannot be "solely based on a quantitative dimension, but must be above all qualitative".
"I think this is the most important challenge at the current stage for the Brazilian government.
Understanding that in addition to seeking to understand how many [neo-Nazi groups] there are, it is necessary to understand how these groups organize themselves, what the diversities of the Brazilian neo-Nazi scene are, how they finance themselves, how they integrate into the international scenario to, then, think about public policies that are more effective in dealing with this problem."
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