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News > Latin America

Brazil: Social Movements Militants Begin Hunger Strike for Lula

  • The social movements delivered a letter to the Supreme Federal Court informing them of the hunger strike.

    The social movements delivered a letter to the Supreme Federal Court informing them of the hunger strike. | Photo: Brazil's PT Party

Published 31 July 2018
Opinion

This measure has been called for by the Via Campesina (Campesino way), as an extreme act of pressure on the government.

Militants of several social movements from different states of Brazil began a hunger strike Tuesday as a way to protest against the imprisonment of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the rising poverty rates. This was announced in a press conference led by Joao Pedro Stedile, from the Rural Landless Movement (MST).

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Brazil: Hunger Strike Planned for Lula's Freedom, Presidency

The social movements said Tuesday that they have delivered a letter to the Supreme Federal Court informing them of the hunger strike, while members of various social movements organized a small protest in front of the court's headquarters. 

"As an extreme act for the resumption of democracy and freedom of former president Lula and to denounce the return of poverty in Brazil, militants of the social movements of several Brazilian states will join in Brasília on hunger strike, for an indefinite period," stated the Workers Party (PT) in a statement Monday.

This measure has been called for by the Via Campesina (Campesino way), as an extreme act of pressure on the government. Six militants from different social movements will start the hunger strike and will be supervised by a doctor in order avoid higher risks.

"We are entering a hunger strike that hasn't got a date to end(...) In the name of all our social movements, I want to thank all of you (the 6 militants starting the hunger strike) for your generosity and your high militant spirit, that is requesting from you the highest level sacrifice," said Stedile during the press conference.

"The establishment of the coup d'état, the breaking of democracy and the dismantling of public policies by the coup government, which cause the return of misery and hunger to the Brazilian people, are determining factors for the decision," stated the PT in an explanation to the decision of making a hunger strike.

"It is a sacrifice to sensitize the authorities and avoid greater harm to society and the poor," read the statement from the PT.

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