Contag goes to the STF against order to vacate highway margins

The National Confederation of Rural Workers, Farmers and Family Farmers (Contag), an entity that brings together more than 4 thousand unions, sued the Federal Supreme Court (STF) against state law nº 22.419/23, which determines the evacuation of roadsides in Goiás .

“In the event of illicit occupation of the right-of-way, the administrative authority that first becomes aware of the fact must provide immediate communication to the police forces responsible for intervention and protection of property”, says an excerpt of the law questioned by the union.

In Claim of Non-Compliance with Fundamental Precept (ADPF) 1,117, Contag argues that 3,000 families who are camped on the banks of state highways can be “removed without the right to full defense and due legal process”. The action will be reported by minister Gilmar Mendes.

For the entity, illegal camps on the sides of highways “are one of the ways adopted by peasants and social movements to demand public policies for access to land based on agrarian reform”.

Furthermore, in relation to the areas of federal competence, Contag asks that the resolution of the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) prevail, which according to the entity, “provides that the vacancy of the right-of-way takes into account the social reality and the guarantee of rights to housing and work”.

Contag is among the entities that benefited from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) program, called “Reforestation Arc”, through which “social movements” will receive R$450 million from the Amazon Fund to restore deforested or degraded areas of the Amazon rainforest.

The program also has R$550 million from the Climate Fund, with interest of 1% per year.

According to Aloizio Mercadante, president of BNDES, resources from the Amazon Fund do not require reimbursement and will be managed by city halls, family farming associations and social movements, such as the Landless Movement (MST), an invasive group known for the use of terrorist tactics.