Democracy returned Brazilian Congress on August 6, but sadly only from the outside looking in. Thousands of demonstrators had flooded through a gap in the security perimeter and occupied the roof of the Congress.
In the late |950s, reflecting the populism of then President Kubischek, the Congress building was constructed so that any member of the public so minded could walk on the roof. The Congress was, supposedly, 'under the feet' of the populace. The military dictatorship ended the fiction and it was never re-instituted.
On August the 6th about 70,000 trade unionists, many making four and five day round trips by coach, marched Congress in opposition to the governments pension reform plans. There was a mixture of determination, anger and frustration amongst the marchers.
They had been on strike for 30 days and the previous night Lula had whipped the Workers Party (PT) into line, along with enough members of his coalition parties, to push an amended form of the proposals On July 11, 2003, five MST activists were arbitrarily arrested while attending a court hearing in Teodoro Sampaio County, Sao Paulo State, by Judge Átis de Araújo de Oliveira. This is just one of many arbitrary actions by judge Oliveira, who, in one of his rulings, likened the actions of the MST to those of criminal organizations, in an attempt to criminalize the struggle of the landless for their constitutional right to agrarian reform. Please act now in solidarity with the prisoners. (known as PEC-40) through the lower house. the The few members of the PT who had broken the whip were greeted as heroes on the demonstration and placards accusing Lula of treason and handing over the pensions to speculators abounded.
Many on the PT left in Congress reluctantly felt the inadequate concessions that had been obtained, combined with the clear indication trom the Party's Directorate that those voting against would be expelled, necessitated a tactical retreat so as to be able to continue the fight in the party.
A decision which will no doubt fuel many debates in the coming weeks.
PEC-40 is being discussed in the Upper House as we go to press. The power of the past oligarchy is much stronger there and the likely concessions to be extracted will be theirs. Most likely judges and magistrates will do well.
Conflict in the countryside is steadily growing. Another MST leader has been assassinated. The big farmers are now openly flaunting their goons and their weapons - and attacking Lula for wearing an MST hat
gramme. rift in the workers movement. National benefits workers
the oligarchy? ed fear".
A summit between the MST and Lula, long demanded, finally took place in July. Within weeks the smiles had turned into abuse and the MST returned to the offensive to reactivate the land reform proAll of this is exposing a serious strategic
How far will Lula go to placate the IMF and World Bank before he takes action that deliver.
and peasants? Furthermore how far will he go to placate
he workers on the streets are ven ers of the government.
clear about what is going on
Placards and speakers directly confront IMF/US pressures. Lula is sitting astride a dividing movement. The historic nature of his election and the hope that it gave to millions was expressed last October by the slogan "Hope has defeat- i coming years.
Already this is being recast as "Fear is overcoming hope". The 'social' ministries such as health, education, race, gender, cities and human rights are suffering from chronic fund shortages. Even The Economist is getting concerned that Lula is failing to "Lula is going to hand over our pensions to speculators"
In September the first expulsions from Alegre. the PT will probably take place as the conflict between supporters of the PT's conference positions are rounded on by supportIn the coming weeks a repackaging of Lula's social agenda will be launched.
Over the last six months a series of popular participation forums (known as PPA 2004-2007) have been held to discuss what the government should be doing in the
These have now ended with final NGO submissions a few weeks ago. Somewhat surprisingly Lula ended the process by effectively telling the participants that they had had their chance to speak and the government would now decide what to do and expected their support. Not exactly what participation means in, for example, Porto
The debate between participation as a means of developing popular mobilisation or a vehicle for co-option will be intensified
Lula's speech in London in July expresses quite clearly his reformist agenda but also embodies the hopes that he has engendered. Its avoidance of the pensions strike and the conflict over land reform are just two signs of the real contradictions that will face Brazil during Lula's period in office.
This will be a hard time for those inspired by Lula's victory and a difficult time for those in the PT who want to confront the government's retreats • Lula's speech can be found at http://www.lse.ac.uk