In solidarity with the petroleum workers, movements occupy Ministry of Mines and Energy

Sunday, November 15, 2015
Info Source: 
MST web site

There are about 500 activists from the MST, FUP (Single Federation of Petroleum Workers, CUT (Unified Workers’ Central), UNE (National Union of Students), UBES (Union of Brazilian Secondary Students) and Levante Popular da Juventude (Popular Youth Uprising) in defense of democracy against the fiscal adjustment and for Fora Cunha (Get Out Cunha).

The social movements, of trade unions and youth, with the participation of petroleum workers, occupied the Ministry of Mines and Energy, on the morning of Friday (11/13) in solidarity with the petroleum workers, who have been on strike since November 1st, against the new direction of Petrobras policies.

The direction of Petrobras hardened negotiations and the Executive Board of FUP (Single Federation of Petroleum Workers) yesterday began a meeting to evaluate the proposal presented by the company.

The social movements demand that Petrobras meets the demands of the FUP and present responses to Paula Brasil, the platform presented by the petroleum workers to strengthen the company. In addition, they demand a clear position of Petrobras, the ministry, and the government against the bill 131/2015, of Senator José Serra, which takes away the Brazilian pre-salt oil.

The occupation also expressed solidarity with the families of the victims of crime company Vale do Rio Doce in Mariana, Minas Gerais and charges accountability of mining.

Popular Brazil Front for Fora Cunha

On this Friday, the “Get Out Cunha” protest will be held simultaneously in 20 cities in Brazil. The movement, organized by the Popular Brazil Front—FBP—(composed of over 60 entities of trade union, social, and student movements) also takes place in the streets of Brasilia. The concentration of activity will be at 9AM, at the National Museum of the Republic.

From the Museum, protesters will march to the National Congress calling for the departure of Eduardo Cunha from the House of Representatives and repudiating the conservative offensive that promotes setbacks in labor rights; criminalization of youth, social, and trade union movements; spreads hatred; violence against women; and to propose the delivery of government and public service to the private sector.

The demonstration is part of the program of the 41st Congress of the Union of Secondary Students (UBES) that ends on the 14th of November at the Exhibition Hall of the City Park.

The Popular Brazil Front was officially launched in the Federal District on this past November 5th. With the presence of 300 people who filled the auditorium of the Union of Civil Servants (Sindsep), more than 30 organizations present unleashed an integrated calendar of mobilizations and reaffirmed the unity of the front around an agenda of a guaranty of social rights, defense of democratic legality, and a new economic policy.

Nationally, the FBP was launched on September 5th this year in Belo Horizonte and is comprised of entities that represent Brazilian diversity: popular movements, trade union movements, political and pastoral parties, indigenous persons and quilombolas (descendants of slaves who escaped from plantations), LGBT, black men and women, women, and youth. The movement has the support of civil society, intellectuals, religious leaders, Congress members, and politicians.