Brazil's Culture Secretary Roberto Alvim Denounces Art as 'Violent Leftist Power Project' at UNESCO Conference

Roberto Alvim, the newly appointed culture secretary of Brazil, sparked controversy during his speech at UNESCO's annual conference in Paris, where he argued that Brazilian art has devolved into a tool for ideological propaganda. Alvim, who was appointed by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro earlier this month, contended that for the last twenty years, art has primarily served to advance a progressive agenda that undermines the foundations of civilization. He described Brazilian culture as a means to 'enslave' public thought through a 'violent leftist power project' that stifles true artistic diversity. Emphasizing the importance of beauty in art, Alvim also met with culture ministers from other right-wing nations like Poland and Hungary during his trip. Previously, he served as the director of theatre at Brazil's National Foundation of the Arts (Funarte) since June before his swift promotion. His address at UNESCO in November 2019 marks a notable change in Brazil's cultural policy under Bolsonaro's leadership.