Mobilizations in Brazil - 17 to 20 may
The CUT (The Unique Worker's Central), the CMP (People's Movements Central), CONTAG (Agricultural Worker's Confederation), CNBB (National Conference of the Brazilian Bishops), and the National Forum of Education organize manifestations for the land, work and citizenship from the 17th to the 20th of May. Approximately 30000 persons are expected in Brasilia by the 20th.
Different delegations have already arrived to the capital. They are camping at the Esplanada de los Ministerios with a large program of actions: marches, strolls, occupation of public buildings and one big public action to support employment and housing on the 20th May at 14:00, in front of the National Congress. This manifestation will mark the beginning of a period of actions that will expand throughout the other states and municipalities. It aims at transforming the severe state of misery and hunger of the workers by imposing to the neoliberals from the Fernando Henrique Cardoso government a schedule prepared by the social movements.
These actions mark the total solidarity of the Brazilian people with their brothers of the North-East who are suffering from drought. At the same time, they denounce the misappropriation of resource in favor of the rich and the big landlords of the region. Benedito Roberto Barbosa from the Union of Housing Movements of San Paolo said: "The camping in front of the supermarkets will continue to denounce the situation of the poor and the homeless. In Brazil there are more than 40 million brothers suffering from hunger. That is the reason why we will mobilize millions of people to demand respect from the president and solidarity from the society.
Present situation: national strike of the Federal Universities - professors, civil servants and students of 50 Universities from 25 states are part of it; Sao Paolo, camping in front of the supermarkets; in the North-East, governmental food stores have been looted; MST continues to occupy big landlord's estates - 2 haciendas in the state of Pernambuco.