11 January 2023
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Abahlali condemns the attack on democracy in Brazil
Following the model of the fascists in the United States the Brazilian fascists attacked the presidential palace, the presidential offices, the Supreme Federal Court building and the offices of the National Congress in Brasília on 8 January.
This was a direct attack on democracy, an attack supported by agri-business, mining companies, some actors in the military and the police, and the extremists in the political base of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Like Trump, Bolsonaro has refused to accept the election that removed him from power as legitimate. He refused to follow tradition and formally hand over power to the new president, Lula da Silvia.
Instead, when da Silvia was inaugurated as President on 1 January, the presidential sash was handed to him by Aline Sousa, a black woman who has worked as a waste picker since she was 14 and is a leader in a waste pickers’ organisation. She was accompanied by a boy from the favelas (shacks), an indigenous leader, a metalworker and a group of activists including a teacher, a cook, a disabled person and an artisan.
It was made clear that Lula was elected by the people to represent the people.
This has enraged the racists that support Bolsonaro, racists who want the old elites with the origin of their power in the system of slavery to rule Brazil for ever. Bolsonaro, who regarded Covid 19 – a virus that killed millions of people around the world – as ‘just a flu’, attacked workers’ rights, tried to turn society against black, indigenous and LGBTI+ plus people, burnt the Amazon forest, repressed activists, openly proclaimed his support for the military dictatorship that oppressed Brazil from 1964 to 1985 and supported the apartheid state of Israel that continues to oppress and kill innocent Palestinians has encouraged his supporters to refuse to accept that Lula’s government has been democratically elected.
The attack on the new government on 8 January is not just an attack on an elected government. It is also an attack on democracy, on the millions of people who elected a progressive government and on all oppressed, exploited and excluded people in Brazil.
In a state, in a movement, union or commune democracy is respecting and abiding by the will of the people. The Brazilians have spoken and the majority have voted against the far right government of Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro is currently in Florida, a state ruled by a far right politician, and it is rumoured that he will move to Italy which is now also ruled by the far right. No doubt he is frightened that he and his family may face charges in Brazil for various abuses, including the assassination of Marielle Franco in 2018.
Just as the MST always stand with us when we are facing repression we are in solidarity with the MST, with all progressives in Brazil and with all those who stand firm for democracy in Brazil.
Progressive forces have taken to the streets in Brasília and São Paulo and the left in Brazil will be resolute in its defence of democracy.
We wish to express our solidarity to all our comrades in Brazil who are organising to build the democratic power of the oppressed from below and to defend democracy.
Contacts:
Thapelo Mohapi 084 576 5117
Snenhlanhla Mncanyana 073 832 3331
Mqapheli Bonono 073 067 3234