ANTIRACIST LAWS AND STRUCTURAL RACISM IN BRAZIL

Resumen

This article critically analyzes the effectiveness of anti-racist laws in Brazil, investigating the social, historical, and institutional factors that limit their application. The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining the fields of Law, Sociology, and Political Science to understand how structural racism impacts normative effectiveness. The study discusses key legal frameworks, such as the 1988 Constitution, Law No. 7,716/1989, the Racial Equality Statute (Law No. 12,288/2010), and Law No. 14,532/2023. The methodology employed is based on bibliographic and documentary research, with the analysis of jurisprudence and empirical studies. The central issue of the research lies in the gap between the production of anti-racist legislation and its effective social implementation. The results indicate that the persistence of myths such as racial democracy, institutional racism within the justice system, and cultural resistance to the strict enforcement of the law are the main obstacles faced. It is concluded that overcoming racism in Brazil depends on deep institutional reforms, the critical training of legal professionals, and the implementation of structural public policies that go beyond the normative field.