Left-wing parties participate in an act in support of Hamas in Paulista

Two left-wing parties – the PCO and the PSTU – helped to promote a march this Sunday (12), on Avenida Paulista, in São Paulo, in which protesters openly defended the actions of Hamas. The terrorist group, responsible for the massacre of 1,200 civilians in Israel in early October, has also used Palestinian civilians living in the Gaza Strip as human shields in the Israeli Army’s counteroffensive against its members.

The event in the capital of São Paulo also had the support of trade unions such as CUT and Conlutas, which displayed their flags alongside banners and flags of Hamas itself. The protesters were accompanied by military police during the journey.

In its account on X, Diário da Causa Operária, linked to the PCO, reproduced the speech by João Jorge Caproni Pimenta, one of the party’s leaders, during the march. “I am forced to quote a statement made by Hamas’ own comrades. They said: ‘You who still don’t fight, don’t cry for us. We are still alive, and you are dead inside.’ The Palestinians are alive because they fight, because they have courage, because they stand up to Israel. We have to be alive and fight and have the courage to face Israel,” he stated.

Several protesters demanded the breaking of Brazil’s diplomatic relations with Israel. This Sunday (12), after weeks of negotiations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed to remove 32 Brazilians and their families from the Gaza Strip, where the conflict is taking place. Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said that there was goodwill from the governments of Israel and Egypt in the operation.

Even so, parliamentarians from the PT and other parties that support the government have repeatedly criticized Israel for reacting to terrorist attacks in defense of its population – there are still around 240 Israeli citizens hostage to Hamas.