Maradona, Chico Buarque Participate in Opening of MST Soccer Field

Renowned singer and author Chico Buarque and former Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona are set to take part in the inauguration of a soccer field geared toward campesinos, community members and social movements.

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Built by the Landless Workers' Movement, or MST, the Dr. Socrates Brasileiro Field will be located at the Florestan Fernandes National School, an important school for grassroots militants in the interior of Sao Paulo.

The field, which was funded collectively by supporters to the tune of over US$21,000, will open in July. Maradona had been invited by MST leader Joao Pedro Stedile to the field's opening in December, at the funeral of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Santiago de Cuba.

Brazilians have been excited about the soccer field's inauguration, which promises to provide a high-quality venue for sports events as well as mass gatherings for social movements.

Volunteers from the MST took part in the park's construction, which was coordinated by David Martins with the assistance of the Association of Friends of the Florestan Fernandes National School and the School of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of Sao Paolo.

"The field (volunteer) brigade shows how the MST practices work,” said Martins, explaining how the building of collective spaces entirely relies on the labor of volunteers.

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“The groups involved in the construction of the field are divided in two: one group is responsible for the construction of the field, landscaping, leveling, soil fertilization, planting the grass and irrigating the field, while the other group is responsible for the construction of the bleachers.”

“This (work) shows the solidarity of civil society, as well as the many other militants outside of the MST who are in solidarity."

The course will be named after Dr. Socrates Brasileiro, in honor of the outspoken leftist soccer player who died in 2011. Socrates, as he was known, founded the Corinthians Democracy movement during the period of military dictatorship and was known for taking a leading role among professional athletes who denounced the tyrannical government that ruled from 1964 to 1985.