Activists' organizations begin pre-World Cup protests

Activists' organizations are staging a series of demonstrations beginning on Thursday (May 8) all the way to the start of the World Soccer Cup competitions on June 12. They are claiming social rights and questioning lavish public spending of the government in hosting the event. The first day of demonstrations will consist of three rallies in São Paulo.

“We're launching the 'Copa sem Povo, Tô na Rua de Novo' ['World Cup for the Elites, People on the Streets'] campaign to stand up against abusive polices in staging the World Cup that are detrimental to the local populations,” explained Guilherme Boulos, a member of the Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST). Besides MTST, Urban Resistance (Coletivo Resistência Urbana), the People's Movement for Housing (Movimento Popular por Moradia) and the People's Struggle Movement (Movimento de Luta Popular) are taking part in the protests. Other participants include over a thousand activists of the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST), which arrived in São Paulo on Wednesday (Apr. 7) for the National Struggle Day for Agrarian Reform.

The grievances of the activist organizations focus on six primary areas. In housing, they are calling for legislation to control rental prices, urging the creation of a National Commission to Prevent Forced Evictions, and recommending changes to the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (“My House, My Life”) affordable housing program. In healthcare, the activists are coming out against privatization and subsidies to health plans, and demanding the allocation of a 10% share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for public healthcare.

In transport, demands revolve around fare reductions and the creation of a federal fund to annual decreases. Proposals for education are expanding existing day care units and building new ones beginning immediately, allocating 10% of GDP for the public education system, and making affirmative action quotas (for access to higher education) and student aids permanent.

For the legal system, activists are recommending the creation of a national commission to deal with state abuses against outskirt populations, ing police demilitarization, and opposing anti-protest legislation and special courts. Finally, in the context of sovereignty, they are opposing restrictions on informal jobs during the World Cup, effective protection policies against sexual exploitation, and lifelong pensions for the families of World Cup stadium casualties.

Translated by Mayra Borges