The full auditorium of the Bahia Museum of Art (Museu de Arte da Bahia: MAB), a result of mobilization for the public debate “Democracy and rights under attack – a view from the social movements”, expressed the social movements’ collective agreement in the search for alternatives to the setbacks to rights occurring in Brazil. The event, held on March 13, aimed to bring together leaders from grassroots groups from around the country to discuss the ramifications of the political coup experienced in Brazil and the setbacks to rights occurring in Brazilian society.
The panel was mediated by Sônia Mota (CESE’s Executive Director) and composed of Guilherme Boulos (Homeless Workers’ Movement: Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Teto – MTST), Sônia Guajajara (Association of Indigenous Peoples in Brazil: Articulação de Povos Indígenas do Brasil – APIB), Marizélia Lopes (Fishermen and Fisherwomen’s Movement: Movimento de Pescadores e Pescadoras – MPP) and João Paulo Rodrigues (Landless Workers’ Movement: Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra – MST). The public debate was organized by CESE with support from MAB, the Institute for the Cultural and Artistic Heritage of Bahia (Instituto do Patrimônio Artístico e Cultural da Bahia: IPAC) and the Bahia State Department of Culture.
“It is ridiculous for the Minister of Justice to say that “lands don’t fill bellies”. Making a statement like this sets the tone for the measures to come”, said Sônia Guajajara, in reference to the recently installed minister Osmar Serraglio, and predicting the future rights violations that indigenous peoples will face. In the view of the APIB Coordinator, grassroots mobilization provides the way out. “Together we are stronger” she cried.
MST leader, João Paulo Rodrigues, listed the challenges for the “block of resistance”, as he describes the movements on the left: 1) the Curitiba front, with the Lava Jato operation; 2) large-scale capital, which is pushing for the Social Security and Labour Reforms to be approved; 3) large-scale right wing parties; 4) and the “yellows” (amarelinhos – referring to the use by protesters from the right of the Brazilian flag’s colours), who call for demonstrations.
Deconstructing the positions/activities of the conservative wings, João Paulo shed some light on their differences and considered that the blocks of resistance have the power to act beyond these: “the economic package, which created a contradiction with the worker base; the Lava Jato operation, which also affects their side; and the 2018 election, what they will do to maintain cohesion”. He considered the weight of these items: “these factors are not easy to administrate. When the dialectic does not help, faith does”, he exclaimed, drawing laughter and renewing the faith of those present.
Continuing to address issues that involve the government, Guilherme Boulos asserted that Brazil is experiencing two crises: one of which is political, the exhaustion of the New Republic, “a dangerous time in which dangerous anti-political feelings emerge”, reflected the MTST leader. There is also the economic crisis. “In 12 months, the country has retreated 50 years, with the Proposed Constitutional Amendment to freeze spending on education and health for 20 years, social security reform, labour reform, privatization. It is a government of spoliation. But since it is an illegitimate government, it doesn’t need to account to anyone”, he stressed.
Boulos also placed in the scales the government’s “glass ceiling”, which may be the key to grassroots mobilization. “A million people have left their health plans to migrate to the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde: SUS). Hunger is returning to the country in force. There must be a strong reaction. Now the people are beginning to see that this also involves them”, he asserted.
He also detailed the challenges for the left within this scenario: the need to recover the capacity to mobilize; and define the left’s political programme for Brazil. “There is no space for small programmes, we have to fight. We cannot negotiate with Odebrecht on the one hand and the Landless Movement on the other and achieve satisfactory agreement. The time has come for the radicalization of democracy” he stated.
While all mentioned the rights violations that have occurred since the impeachment, Marizélia Lopes of the MPP reminded the collective discussion that these setbacks were happening long before then. “We are experiencing a false democracy. Traditional fishing communities have suffered over the years. We have suffered a number of coups, models of development adopted in Brazil have knocked us down”. And she called on those present “Don’t demarcate the waters, no to privatization!”
The public debate “Democracy and rights under attack – a view from the social movements” is one element of the “CESE and Social Movements”, biannual meetings run by CESE: a time for collective critical reflection, which enables the organization to continue to work in harmony with the movements and to fulfil its mission to strengthen struggles for rights and democracy with justice.
This year, the meeting between the organization and social movements took place in CESE’s offices on March 13 and 14. The programme included reflections from the movements about the main challenges faced, the organization’s strategies, coalitions and political advocacy and CESE’s information gathering to guide its work over the coming years – including priorities, new fields or strategies of operation and the necessary changes to its forms of operation.
You can see photos of the event on CESE’s fan page: