RIO DE JANEIRO — Hundreds of landless movement activists Monday seized government buildings in various Brazilian cities — including in Porto Alegre, Belo
Horizonte, and Curitiba. In Porto Alegre, police attempted to disperse the protestors but then gave up after it appeared the effort would lead to violence.
Government employees who work in the occupied buildings
were dismissed for the day. No violence was reported in the other cities where occupations took place.
The takeovers were staged by the Movement of Landless Rural Workers, or MST.
MST leaders say the occupations
will continue indefinitely until the government of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso provides land for 100,000 families living in MST camps. According to the group, the Brazilian government promised in July to
resettle these families.
Monday’s protest actions are the largest by the MST since May, when militants seized government buildings in 12 major cities throughout Brazil. The occupations and resulting violence prompted
the Cardoso government to pass a series of measures aimed at restoring public order and halting land takeovers.
The government says it will not negotiate with the MST as long as its militants continue occupying
government buildings.
According to MST, there are close to five million rural families without land in Brazil. Despite government agrarian reform efforts, advocacy groups say about half of Brazil's land is controlled
by a handful of Brazil's wealthiest people.
