The (Landless Rural Workers Movement) began this Saturday (5) the invasions of Minas Gerais and Pernambuco. The mobilization aims to pressure the government to accelerate the, evaluated as shy by the group.
In Goiânia (PE), about 800 families invaded the Santa Teresa Plant. In Frei Innocent (MG), the action of 400 families took place on the farm on the banks of BR-116, according to the movement.
The act in Minas Gerais also became a test for the action of Governor Romeu Zema (Novo), who earlier this week published a video in which he appears with a cap with the writing “April Green”, in reference to the mobilization of the MST. Speech is part of the strategy for if and presidential candidate.
He has also announced a new rural policing model that takes into account the agricultural calendar and has expert agents for field safety. On other occasions, Zema said the Minas Gerais government has zero tolerance with land invaders.
Asked, the Military Police of Minas Gerais did not answer if it was called to prevent the invasion in Friar Innocent. In a statement, MST’s mining arm has already given warning signs about the governor’s performance.
“Any violent action against the poor families who fight for the land is the responsibility of Governor Romeu Zema, who incites hatred and field violence with inflamed and irresponsible lines, criminalizing our families,” said MST-MG management.
In Pernambuco, the direction of the movement states that the action in the plant prevents the land from being sold by the bankrupt estate of the company. The site already has ten camps and the intention is to allocate for land reform the entire area of the old company.
In April, the MST intensifies not only invasions, but highway blockages, protests, family registration joint efforts and other actions – which should be repeated by 2025.
The month was chosen because, on April 17, 1996, it occurred when the Military Police murdered 19 militants of the movement and left 69 others injured during a protest – until today, only 2 police officers of 155 involved were convicted.
For 2025, the chosen motto was “occupying for food Brazil”. There is a forecast of actions in the 26 states and the Federal District, focusing on land conducive to food production.
The demonstrations take place amid the discontent of the movement with Lula’s third term and the progress of the agrarian reform.
According to the MST, when the petista took over the presidency, about 65 thousand families of the movement registered by Incra waited at camps to be seated.
“The progress is far short of the accumulated demand in the last ten years, since the impeachment of [ex-presidente] Dilma Rousseff, passing through the Temer government and the Bolsonaro period, “said José Damasceno of the MST National Directorate.
In the third year of the term, this liability grew, he said, to about 100,000. If considered other groups that work in the cause, the projection would rise to 140 thousand.
