MST opens national fair without the presence of PT ministers from the Lula government – 05/12/2023 – Politics

Without the presence of PT ministers, the opening political act of the 4th National Fair of the MST (Movement of Landless Rural Workers), this Friday (12), had only Minister Márcio França (PSB), of Ports and Airports , representing the Lula government (PT).

Also not present were the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), and the mayor of the capital, Ricardo Nunes (MDB).

On Thursday (11), the MST waved to right-wing representatives through one of the leaders of the movement, Gilmar Mauro, who said he saw “an interesting political line” in the government and in the city hall.

The promise is that PT ministers will visit the fair on Saturday (13) – the idea being considered is that there be a new act for announcements of measures by the federal government. At least seven ministers and three governors are expected at the event, and Lula’s presence was also hinted at.

At the event that marked the return of the fair to Parque da Água Branca, in the capital, after four years, there were representatives of trade union centrals, in addition to a number of federal and state deputies from the PT and PSOL.

The emptying of authorities in the act occurs at a time when the federal government is being pressured by the MST invasions in the red April and by the reaction of agribusiness entrepreneurs.

The MST is the target of a CPI in the Chamber of Deputies —an offensive that spreads through the Legislative Assemblies, as shown by the Sheet.

Questioned by the report, MST leader João Pedro Stedile minimized the absences “Until Sunday a lot of government officials will be here, this has nothing to do with politics”, he said.

Members of the movement also pointed out that Lula’s trip to Ceará, this Friday, mobilized ministers in the entourage.

Councilman Jair Tatto (PT), author of the law that included the fair in the city’s official calendar, thanked the city hall and the state government for authorizing the event.

Tarcísio’s right-hand man, secretary Gilberto Kassab (PSD), for Government and Institutional Relations, was another absence – he was represented by his executive secretary, Marcos Penido.

Kassab was mentioned more than once by members of the MST, who thanked him for making it possible with Tarcísio to endorse the fair, which had been banned during the João Doria administration.

Penido said he brought “the embrace” of Tarcísio and Kassab to the event, adding that the state was very happy to host the fair. He highlighted the “importance of the countryside” for the country and stated that “the fight against hunger is part of Tarcísio’s government”.

França stated that, with the Lula government, “positive air is once again breathed” and that the MST was essential for the PT’s victory. Without mentioning Jair Bolsonaro (PL), he stated that there must be “punishments for those who exceed at the right time”.

“The great challenge is to assert our government before Congress”, added França, at the moment when Lula suffered defeat in the Chamber and started releasing amendments to retain his base.

The minister left the place before the end of the act.

Parliamentarians, such as Ivan Valente (PSOL-SP), criticized the MST’s CPI, which they see as an attempt to criminalize the movement. And they pointed out that large agribusiness should also be the target of investigation, mentioning environmental crimes.

Gilmar Mauro also criticized the CPI, which he said was pointless, and recalled that previous commissions came to nothing. “I don’t give a shit about CPI,” he said.

Since January, the MST has carried out 18 land invasions. In the four years of the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government, there were 159 invasions, 37 of them last year.

In an interview with the column Mônica Bergamo, from SheetStedile stated that the federal government is “slow” and that the MST, even though it defends the president, will increase “social pressure”.

On Thursday, Gilmar Mauro told the press that, despite having helped elect Lula, the movement is “independent and autonomous” and exists to defend the interests of the landless.

For members of the movement, the fair serves the purpose of showing society’s support for the movement and is also an instrument of pressure for agrarian reform.

After Doria banned the holding of the fair at the site under his management, Tarcísio authorized the event again, after Kassab’s intermediation. The park belongs to the state sphere, so authorization from the Palácio dos Bandeirantes is required.

The last fair therefore took place in 2018, before Doria’s veto and the pandemic, which also made the event impossible.

The 4th MST National Fair runs until Sunday (14) and started on Thursday (11). The movement estimates that 500 tons of agroecological food from cooperatives in 24 states will be offered for sale and that 300,000 people will visit the event.