New Brazil Bulletin #13

The Struggle for Land

Data was released revealing that 2024 held the second-largest number of agrarian-related conflicts in Brazil since 1985, behind only 2023. Most of the conflicts were related to the advancement of the latifundium (big landlords). Furthermore, the data revealed that more families than ever were involved in the struggle for land, about 226,000.

Throughout April, military police and gunmen attacked the peasants of the Gedeon José Duque revolutionary area, with the peasants successfully repelling them each time.

The criminal gang led by Gesulino Castro, backed by the police, has been continually attacking the revolutionary peasants in the area. Castro is a gunman convicted of a massacre of peasants in 2012 but released early to continue his campaign for the big landlords. The peasants told AND that the police, for their part, claim to be present to suppress environmental crimes, but actually are there to suppress the peasant struggle for land.

Several organizations carried out a solidarity mission to the struggling peasants of the revolutionary area on April 12 and 13, including A Nova Democracia, the People’s Revolutionary Student Movement (MEPR), the People’s Women’s Movement (MFP), and the Brazilian Association of Popular Lawyers. The solidarity mission participated in collective work with the peasants and held cultural and political meetings. The mission is compiling a report on the repression and resistance to send to human rights and people’s struggle organizations nationally

In April, the Ministry of Justice approved the deployment of the National Force against the indigenous people who have been struggling for land for years in Cacique Doble, Rio Grande do Sul state. The National Force is similar to the National Guard.

On April 11, peasants of Junco do Maranhao won a great victory with the revocation of all arrest warrants held against them for participating in a highway blockage.

In mid-April, a judge approved the eviction of 40 indigenous families from their land on behalf of monopoly corporations wanting to displace peasantry on land they seek to own.

On April 22, roughly 150 peasants organized by the Union of Communities in Struggle protested against latifundium land grabbing in the city of Carutapera.

On April 26, 300 Landless Workers’ Movement (MST)-organized peasants occupied a latifundium area. In response, gunmen shot rubber bullets and tear gas at them and demolished houses on the land. The MST has carried out multiple land occupations and marches and demonstrations demanding the government hand over promised land to the peasantry as part of the activities of “Red April” month of struggle for land throughout April and into May.

On April 29, the LCP issued a statement calling for the land of the Frei Canenca plant to be handed to the Barro Branco peasants after the old State had continued to fail to carry out land reform.

Workers’ and Peoples’ Struggle

On April 10, workers in the city of Goiânia, Goiás state, protested against the local government’s wage cuts against government workers.

On the morning of April 15, about 100 people protested against the increase of bus fare prices in the city of Belém, Pará state, attempting to occupy the city hall building but being blocked by guards. Outside, they burned a flag of the mayor’s election campaign.

On April 15, hundreds of people in São Paulo protested against a mega-landfill that will be installed on 901 hectares (2,226 acres) of land in a small town; an operation that suddenly started on April 6 when trucks were spotted unloading garbage in the area without prior notice.

On April 16, private health workers of the state of Maranhão blocked a road in protest for four months of delayed wages.

On April 27, emergency care patients in the Federal District (Brasilia) revolted in response to care being spontaneously cut, overcrowding in hospitals, long wait times, and staffing shortages due to under-funding at the hospital as part of the Old State’s attacks on the people’s right to healthcare. The Nurses Union in the Federal district has been demanding the appointment of reserve health workers to address chronic understaffing of the public health system—health professionals protested in March across Brazil for wage increases and against understaffing.

On April 28 and 29, protesters of the Compensa neighborhood blocked a road and set fire to barricades following government neglect after storms and flooding destroyed several homes.

On May 1, International Workers Day, thousands demonstrated in São Paulo against the 6×1 scale, police violence, and the genocide against the Palestinian people. Participating organizations included the Workers’ League [Liga Operária] and the Anti-Imperialist League. In Manaus, a May Day demonstration was held which included organizations such as the MFP and the MEPR.

Student Struggle

Throughout April, high school students of Petrolina, Pernambuco state have protested for structural improvements, air conditioning, and adequate amounts of school supplies and uniforms.

On April 25, students of the University of Pernambuco protested against uncertainty of resources like water, electricity, and building instability.

On April 29, students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina blocked main entrances after outsourced workers were dismissed en masse due to budget cuts.

On May 3, the MEPR contributed to the solidarity campaign for the five student activists arrested at North Carolina Central University by translating the Revolutionary Student Union’s statement in support of them.

Brazil’s National Situation

A survey published in April revealed that 50 business groups have water-use grants for 925 billion gallons of water—enough water to hydrate 46% of Brazil’s population. 86% of these grants were for latifundium-related activities. Water insecurity is a significant issue in Brazil, with urban slums and rural areas often losing water supply for days or weeks on end.

Another survey was released that revealed that roughly 35% of Brazil’s population is unemployed, underemployed, or out of the labor force. A Nova Democracia (AND), Brazil’s revolutionary newspaper, used this data to disprove the old State’s deceptive selection of data to announce a low unemployment rate. The surveys reveal some particulars of the crisis-ridden semi-feudal and semi-colonial bureaucrat capitalism of Brazil.

The Anti-Imperialist League, Workers’ League [Liga Operária], and the Class-Conscious Movement of Educational Workers released a statement calling for progressives to hit the streets for May Day in support of the movement against the 6×1 scale, the Palestinian national resistance, the app worker strikes, and justice for Ngange Mbaye, a street vendor murdered by military police.

Image: The Gedeon José Duque revolutionary area during the solidarity mission. Credit: A Nova Democracia

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