From Brazil
19 June, 2013
Yesterday, half a milion people went to protest at the streets of Brazilian main cities.
The transport system in Brazil is owned by private enterprises, and every year the ticket price increases above the inflation. The problem now is that, because of the world crises, the inflation is becoming higher than the people can stand. Moreover, the people are realizing that the benefits of holding the World Cup and the Olympic Games are not for all. The Brazilian biggest football stadium, Maracanã, has been renovated again, but this time it cost almost 6 hundred million for the state, and it is ready to be sold to a private company owned by Eike Batista, Brazilian richest man, whereas thousands of poor people have been removed from the center of the main cities without any safeguard.
A small increase of 20 cents on the bus ticket was enough to make people angry. The first protests begun last week, with few attendance, but was responded with a huge repression from the police. This week, the movement became larger, although the TV channels trying to criminalize the protestors and the governments announcing that it wouldn’t permit any popular demonstration until the Olympics.
In the capital, Brasilia, a group of people invaded the national congress and stayed there all night long. There were also demonstrations abroad, like in Berlin, New York and Portugal, in support of Brazilian people`s fight.
One other national demonstration will be hold this Thursday, and it seems that it more people will join than the last one in each big city. The bus price has already been reduced in some States, but the fight hasn’t end, because it is clear that their fight is not just for twenty cents.