The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) condemns the storming of Brazil’s Presidential Palace, Supreme Court and National Congress by neo-fascist mobs and calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
“The terrorist acts which occurred in Brasilia by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro are an attack on democracy. The destruction to the Presidential Palace, the National Congress and the Supreme Court were an assault on buildings that represent the three pillars of political power in Brazil. Opposition forces among Brazil’s economic and political elite are complicit in this attack, and their attempts to stage a coup must be exposed,” said Edgar Diaz, ITF Regional Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The ITF is calling for those involved in the attack on 8th January their financiers and their political supporters be brought to justice, to ensure social peace and the rule of law in Brazil.
The ITF fully supports the popular and democratically elected government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the Brazilian people who wish to live in peace and democracy. Lula is a great trade unionist, and is a great politician of the people. The extreme right know that his agenda to redistribute wealth downwards threatens their existence, and their cowardly attacks on the institutions of democracy will be resisted by working people. Freedom and democracy will always be defended by trade unions,” said Paddy Crumlin, ITF President.
Corporate interests of the elite, fuelled by neo-fascist mobs must never be more important than democracy, human rights and the rule of laws. Democratic nations must speak out about these attacks in Brazil.
“President Lula’s agenda to build and economy around quality and justice not elitism and greed has the democratic support of millions of people in Brazil. The ITF stands by the determination of the people of Brazil to defend democracy. Lula’s has made the commitment that the Brazilian people don’t have to live in poverty or without education, health, other public services and social protection. Good jobs and decent wages are the cornerstone of his plan, a plan with the full endorsement of transport unions in Brazil and globally. We stand with Lula,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary.
