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News > Latin America

Leader of Brazil's Landless Movement Faces Death Threats

  • Images posted online call for the death of the MST's Joao Pedro Stedile.

    Images posted online call for the death of the MST's Joao Pedro Stedile. | Photo: MST

Published 13 March 2015
Opinion

The MST see links between the death threats and the right-wing mobilizations currently underway in Brazil.

Latin America's largest social movement, the Brazilian Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), is speaking out against death threats against one of its most recognizable leaders.

A “wanted” poster with a picture of Joao Pedro Stedile and the words “dead or alive” has been circulating on social media recently. The image calls the left-wing leader an enemy of Brazil and features a phone number, as well as a reward of 10,000 Brazilian Reals, approximately US $3,151.

In a statement posted to their website, the MST said they had informed the authorities about the death threat.

The death threat against Stedile comes as sections of Brazil's right wing are attempting to impeach Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who was re-elected in October by a margin of 4 million votes. According to the MST, many social media pages that are opposed to the country's social movements and the Rousseff government are helping circulate the death threat against Stedile.

Using the hashtag #RIPDilma, right-wing political forces in Brazil have organized an anti-government rally Sunday and have received the support Brazil's business elites, including the powerful Globo media network. Globo owns the largest newspaper and the biggest TV and radio networks in the country.

The MST sees a link between the death threat and the right-wing mobilizations currently underway.

“This threat is simply a reflection of sections of the Brazilian elite that are determined to promote a wave of violence and hate, with the aim of destabilizing the government and retake power,” said the MST.

Coup plots have reportedly been developing since Rousseff's re-election, with social movements denouncing unconstitutional efforts to remove Rousseff since November 2014.

Supporters of the government, social movements, and left-wing forces in Brazil have called for a rally on Friday to back Rousseff.

In a video posted online, Stedile calls on Brazilians to take the streets to show their support for the progressive policies of the Rousseff government. Stedile argues that the opposition never accepted the results of the presidential election and are trying to implement their neoliberal agenda by whatever means they can.

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