Biopolitical and Intersectional Aspects of Brazil’s Conviction by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of the fireworks factory explosion in Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia

Abstract

This paper analyzes the biopolitical aspects involved in the Case of the Employees of the Fireworks Factory in Santo Antônio de Jesus vs. Brazil, in which the State was condemned by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. First, the research outlines the theoretical framework of biopower, emphasizing the teachings of Giorgio Agamben and presenting the categorizations of bare life, sovereign power, and the state of exception, in order to demonstrate the correlation between the case and Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality. The objective is to discuss the relationship between Agamben’s homo sacer and Crenshaw’s theory, highlighting how bare life is subjected to various overlapping social and economic vulnerabilities, increasingly exposing individuals to the abuses of sovereign power. Subsequently, the study explores the specific circumstances surrounding the explosion that led to the tragedy in Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, and how these factors became significant for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, ultimately leading to Brazil’s condemnation by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. In this context, the research adopts an exploratory approach, drawing on the doctrines of biopower, the intersectionality of the aforementioned authors, and international jurisprudence on the subject. Finally, the paper demonstrates the connection between the characteristics of the disaster victims and the interpretive frameworks previously presented, revealing that these Brazilian bare lives are more vulnerable due to the accumulation of social markers such as poverty, gender, race, and age.