#southamerica

At the time of this writing over 400,000 people in Brazil have died of COVID-19. This trend does not seem to be slowing down. As time passes, I am increasingly fearful for friends and acquaintances, as Afro-descendants and indigenous Brazilians are 38 percent more likely to die of COVID-19 than white Brazilians and 32 percent higher than the general population. Negationist attitudes among our current political leadership means that these deaths are being trivialized. On top of this, restrictions do not allow funerals, do not allow humane farewells, the sharing of tears, the necessary rituals of passage.