Incident on Train in Minas Gerais Sparks Outrage
A woman celebrating her 32nd birthday on a train journey in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais was alarmed when a fellow passenger informed her that an unknown man had been secretly photographing her seven-year-old son.
When confronted, the man—an Argentinian tourist—initially refused to show his phone. However, after pressure from other travelers, he admitted to having sent the images to a WhatsApp contact.
Police later disclosed that beneath the photos, Eduardo Ignacio Murias, 63, an architect from the Argentinian province of Santiago del Estero, had written:
“He’s Black but very cute. I could take him as a slave. I’m thinking of taking a slave, there are many here.”
The child’s mother captured a photograph of the phone screen, and passengers detained Murias on the train until it reached its destination, where he was arrested for “racial insult,” a crime under Brazilian law.
Renewed Debate on Racism and National Identity in Argentina
The case has reignited discussions in Argentina regarding racism, national identity, and the country’s self-perception as a European nation.
Murias is the third Argentinian to be arrested for racism in Brazil this year, coinciding with a period when a significant number of Argentinian tourists are visiting the country. In April, José Luis Haile, 67, was accused of assaulting a food delivery worker at a supermarket in Rio and is currently awaiting trial.
In January, Agostina Páez, 29, was detained after being filmed mimicking a monkey towards a waiter at a nightclub. Although she was later released, she was prohibited from leaving Brazil for two and a half months while the investigation proceeded. During this period, she claimed her rights were being violated and that she was facing “persecution,” a stance supported by her lawyers.
The waiter has filed a lawsuit against Páez for moral damages.
“The claimant is a Black man who daily faces a society that insists on pushing him backwards simply because of the colour of his skin,” his lawyers wrote in the filing. “And yet, while carrying out his work, he was forced to hear words that diminished him and animalised him.”
Upon returning to Argentina in April, while still subject to legal proceedings in Brazil, Páez was welcomed by Patricia Bullrich, a close ally of Argentina’s president, Javier Milei. Páez’s father, Mariano Páez, was later filmed in a bar making controversial remarks.
Historical and Structural Racism in Argentina
The political scientist and researcher Pita stated that none of the recent cases were surprising given Argentina’s longstanding history of racism.
“Racism is inscribed within the very project of the Argentine nation. Argentina is constitutionally a supremacist country,”
he explained, referring to the constitution which states:
“The federal government shall promote European immigration.”
Pita noted that Argentina often denies the existence of African-Argentinians and indigenous peoples who, according to the 2022 census, comprise approximately 2.4% and 2.38% of the population respectively.
Activists and researchers argue these figures are likely underestimates, as many individuals have African or indigenous ancestry even if they do not self-identify as such.
Pita added:
“An Aymara descendant born in the north of Argentina is treated as Bolivian, a Mapuche born in Argentine Patagonia is treated as Chilean; and an African-descendant from Buenos Aires is treated as Uruguayan or Brazilian, because the only thing considered truly Argentine is whiteness.”
Argentina’s Position on the Transatlantic Slave Trade
In March, Argentina was the only Latin American country to vote against a United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade a crime against humanity. The United States and Israel were the only other countries to oppose the measure.
Although slavery was abolished in Argentina in 1853, the descendants of enslaved Africans and their cultural contributions—from tango to language and cuisine—remain integral to the nation.
Comparisons Between Argentina and Brazil on Race Issues
Pita remarked that comparisons between Argentina and Brazil are complex. While Black Brazilians constitute a much larger portion of the population, they also face disproportionately high levels of poverty, police violence, and social exclusion.
“I don’t know what is more serious: a country like Argentina, which says its Black population does not exist, or Brazil, where a young Black man is killed every day. They are equally grave,”
he said.
Incidents of racism by Argentinians against Brazilians are not new. In 1920, players from Brazil’s national football team were insulted after being depicted in an Argentinian newspaper as “monkeys.” To this day, racial slurs persist in virtually all football matches involving the two countries.
Although there is no evidence that such incidents are increasing, social media has amplified their visibility. Meanwhile, due to the growing number of Argentinian tourists, who account for a third of the 9.3 million foreign visitors expected in Brazil in 2025, these interactions have become more frequent.
Pita emphasized the importance of avoiding generalizations about Argentinians.
“Most of the Argentinian population not only never travel to Brazil, but most likely have never left the country,”
he said.
“But they do represent a deeper Argentina” that continues to grapple with racism.
