The headquarters of the CNA (Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil) became a target this week of protesters linked to the MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra). They protested the government’s agricultural policy and industry profits amid soaring food prices.
The phrases “Fora Bolsoagro” were spray-painted in an area of the headquarters’ premises, in reference to President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), and “Soja does not fill a plate”. In addition, paint was thrown against the facade of the building.
According to the MST, the purpose of the protest made last Wednesday (20) was “to denounce the alliance between agribusiness and the government of Jair Bolsonaro, which is responsible for guaranteeing record profits for the sector, while millions of Brazilians suffer from hunger and high food prices”
The movement points to the contradiction between the large national production of food and the advance of the difficulty in buying food in the country, linking the fact to the high Brazilian exports. “At the same time that food prices suffer significant highs, agribusiness broke records in commodity exports”, says the MST, in a note.
The MST says that the action was part of the National Day of Struggle in Defense of Agrarian Reform, which takes place in April with the motto “Land, Teto and Bread”. In the action at the CNA, the protesters even used a scale with the question “who feeds you?”, to oppose agribusiness and agrarian reform, and an allegory of a pot surrounded by skulls.
The MST cites that agribusiness represents one of the pillars of support for the Bolsonaro government. The movement recalls, in a note, that the then Minister of the Environment, Ricardo Salles, said at a meeting at Palácio do Planalto in April 2020 that the government had to take advantage of the pandemic to “pass the herd” and loosen environmental laws.
When contacted, the CNA stated that it was still investigating the case and that it would not yet comment on the matter.
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