The Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST) has intensified pressure on the Lula government for agrarian reform through a series of occupations across 24 states in Brazil. The protests, initiated on Landless Women’s Day, condemn harmful agribusiness practices and demand immediate action for long-ignored landless families. The movement seeks to highlight environmental destruction and advocate for women’s roles in agriculture, calling for systemic change and support in their communities.
On March 13, women from Brazil’s Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST) instigated a series of occupations throughout 24 states, intensifying pressure on the Lula government to implement agrarian reform. This mobilization coincided with the Landless Women’s Day of Struggle and preceded the MST’s broader actions planned for Red April. The activists occupied lands in Bahia and Ceará, highlighting areas that fail to fulfill their social functions as mandated by the Brazilian Constitution.
The protests aimed to critique agribusiness practices, which the MST claims result in environmental degradation and violence against rural communities. MST emphasized its commitment to combat those historically opposed to social progress, asserting a vision for an eco-friendly and socialist society. Furthermore, a recent government decision to expropriate seven farms for the establishment of settlements has been deemed insufficient by the MST, which has called for swift action to settle families whose plight remains unaddressed for over a decade.
Under the banner “Agribusiness means violence and environmental crimes; women’s struggle stands against capital,” the MST’s focus primarily targets forestry companies implicated in harmful monocultures. In Espírito Santo, approximately 1,000 women occupied land owned by the Suzano pulp company. Activists voiced concerns over the long-standing adverse effects of eucalyptus monoculture initiated in the 1960s, detailing associated environmental troubles caused by agribusiness expansion.
Occupations also occurred in Maranhão, where over 250 women blocked a major highway to protest against Suzano’s substantial factory. Allegations include threats to rural workers and environmental contamination due to pesticide usage. Additionally, in Rio Grande do Sul, women protested against the Chilean company CMPC, calling attention to threats posed by expansive soy and eucalyptus plantations. In response to these issues, the MST filed a Notice of Fact with Brazil’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office to address the deregulation of environmental protections associated with forestry practices.
In Bahia, around 300 families mobilized in the Chapada Diamantina region, occupying lands deemed unproductive for years. Eric south of the state, approximately 600 MST women protested on a key highway, while in Ceará, more than 220 families occupied land in an irrigation area crucial for agribusiness, demanding settlements for 200 families. Claims also included denouncing aerial pesticide spraying authorized for use in late 2024.
In Maceió, around 800 women occupied the local office of Brazil’s Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra), demanding the resolution of land issues affecting peasant women. During these protests, Margarida da Silva from MST urged the need for agrarian reform to ensure food security and community development. Various rural organizations joined in solidarity to strengthen this message across Alagoas.
In conclusion, the Landless Rural Workers’ Movement has intensified its campaign for agrarian reform in Brazil through widespread protests and occupations. Their actions bring attention to persistent issues such as land use, environmental degradation, and violence towards rural communities. With a unified call for immediate reforms, particularly addressing the needs of women in agriculture, the MST remains committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable rural society.
Original Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
