The Minister of Agrarian Development, Paulo Teixeira.| Photo: Elaine Menke/Chamber of Deputies.

The Minister of Agrarian Development, Paulo Teixeira, said this Tuesday (18) that the “condition” for the government to resume the agrarian reform program is the eviction of lands invaded by the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST). The group has stepped up raids since early April.

“My opinion is that this day of struggle is over, we are asking for withdrawals, to continue the agrarian reform program. This is our condition”, said the minister in an interview with the newspaper O Globo. “The government is already committed to agrarian reform. It has shows to show. This type of action in this direction does not change anything, with the commitments we are making, ”he added.

The Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, also condemned the invasion of the land belonging to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), in Pernambuco. Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, also criticized the group’s action in the Embrapa area.

“I vehemently condemn any act that harms productive areas and processes. It’s not the best way to fight for anything. We have other instruments for the most varied fights. Family farming is very important, making the rural settlements that we have economically viable, improving the quality of life in these territories, because good production from family farming means healthy food on our people’s tables,” said Padilha.