Brazil鈥檚聽far-right聽government of President聽Jair聽Bolsonaro聽will seek to classify聽鈥渋nvasions鈥 of farmland by landless workers聽as akin to terrorism, with harsher penalties for the activists, an Agriculture Ministry official said on January 14.
Brazil鈥檚 Landless Workers鈥 Movement (MST), one of Latin America鈥檚 largest social movements, seeks to take over聽unproductive lands in the name of social and economic justice to more equally distribute rural wealth.
Shockwaves were sent around the world when fascist candidate Jair Bolsonaro won 55% in the second round in Brazil鈥檚 presidential elections on October 28, defeating Fernando Haddad of the Workers鈥 Party (PT).
Brazilians vote on October 28 in an election that will be critical for the future of Latin America. Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who topped the first round of the presidential election on October 7, faces off against the Workers鈥 Party (PT) candidate Fernando Haddad in the second round vote.
Facing the real prospect of a Bolsonaro win, the country鈥檚 social movements are stepping up their efforts to confront fascism, at the polls and on the streets.
Less than a year after being installed in power via a constitutional coup, the government of Brazilian President Michel Temer is teetering on the brink of collapse.
Plagued by corruption scandals 鈥 the same pretext used by the right-wing controlled judiciary and parliament to topple centre-left president Dilma Rousseff 鈥 and popularity figures in the single digits, the Temer regime is now facing a growing revolt from below demanding 鈥渄irect elections now!鈥
MST leader says Brazilians must rise up
Joao Pedro Stedile is a founder and leader of Brazil's Landless Workers' Movement (MST). One of Latin America鈥檚 largest social movements, the MST fights for land reform and the rights of poor farmers.
Below, Stedile calls for resistance to the 鈥渋nstitutional coup鈥 in Brazil, in which elected Workers鈥 Party (PT) president Dilma Rousseff was removed by the Senate and Michel Temer installed on August 31.
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Anti-coup protesters on the streets of Rio de Janeiro in April.
In what has been widely condemned as a US-backed right-wing power grab to impose harsh neoliberal measures, Brazil鈥檚 Workers鈥 Party (PT) President Dilma Rousseff was forced to stand aside by Brazil鈥檚 Senate on May 12 while she faces impeachment procedures.
A National Day of Action to Defend Democracy was held on March 31, to oppose the coup plot against Dilma and mark the anniversary of the 1964 military coup.
Right-wing forces in Brazil are seeking to impeach Workers' Party (PT) President Dilma Rousseff in what has been widely condemned as an 鈥渋nstitutional coup鈥.
South America鈥檚 largest country, Brazil, has been rocked in recent months by a political crisis, partly fuelled by mass protests calling for the removal of centre-left President Dilma Rousseff. The protests come as the country officially moves into recession, with Brazil鈥檚 economy expected to contract by 2% this year. Brazil has been governed by a Workers鈥 Party (PT)-led coalition for over a decade, firstly under Luiz Ignacio 鈥淟ula鈥 da Silva and now Dilma, as she is commonly known.