From Agência Brasil · · 1m 10s
Indigenous Diplomats Join Brazil's Foreign Service
Brazil's first indigenous and quilombola diplomats sworn in as part of diplomatic training program.
In brief
Brazil's first indigenous and quilombola diplomats sworn in as part of diplomatic training program. Brazil's 2026 class of diplomatic trainees includes 27 students from underrepresented groups, with two indigenous diplomats sworn in at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Originally reported by Agência Brasil.
First Indigenous Diplomats Sworn In
Brazil's first indigenous and quilombola diplomats joined the country's diplomatic corps on November 4, 2026.
“This marks the first time in Brazilian history that indigenous representatives have joined the country’s diplomatic corps.”
2026 Diplomatic Training Class
The 2026, 2028 class includes 27 students from underrepresented groups, with 17 black students, seven students with disabilities, and one Quilombola student.
“Nearly half of the incoming class belongs to groups underrepresented in Brazilian diplomacy.”
Diversity in Diplomatic Corps
Women account for 45 percent of the 60 students in the Diplomatic Training Program at the Rio Branco Institute.
“The class also has the highest proportion of women in the program’s history, with women accounting for 45 percent of the students.”
Acting Foreign Minister's Statement
Acting Foreign Minister Maria Laura da Rocha emphasized the importance of ensuring the diplomatic corps reflects Brazil's diversity.
“At a time when democracy and the rights hard-won and enshrined in the 1988 Constitution are under threat, celebrating the arrival of the first indigenous and quilombola diplomats at this bicentennial institution is an act of resistance.”
Minister of Indigenous Peoples' View
Minister of Indigenous Peoples Eloy Terena highlighted the realization of 'Bringing the State to indigenous Communities' through diplomatic inclusion.
“It is a highly symbolic moment. It is not just an individual or collective achievement; it is an achievement for the entire nation and the Brazilian state.”
Indigenous Diplomats' Backgrounds
Marcelo Kariri Menezes holds a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Digital Business, while Idjahure Terena is a Ph.D. candidate in Social Anthropology.
“Being at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs means acknowledging this entire history of exclusion and paternalism and fighting for an ancestral future and a new present in which our ethnic diversity is finally reflected in the State.”
The big picture
Brazil's 2026 class of diplomatic trainees includes 27 students from underrepresented groups, with two indigenous diplomats sworn in at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
