In occupation of the MTST, climate is of optimism with the Brazilian team

The second victory and Brazil’s advance qualification to the World Cup round of 16, even in the struggle, excited the residents of the Nova Canudos occupation, in Taipas, in the northern region of São Paulo. Sitting on school chairs supported on a dirt floor, the fans filled the biggest tent of the MTST occupation to see Brazil and Switzerland.

The crowd was protected from the heavy rain in the region by asbestos tiles, supported by walls nailed with wooden sheets and columns made with cut trunks.

A few cracks let the rain in, but the room was already full: there were 92 people, most of them part of the 420 families living in the occupation. Sitting or standing, they followed the match through a projection on a screen, made with the help of volunteers from the movement.

The light walls were decorated with Brazilian flags—one with “Lula 13 now!” replacing “Order and progress”. Most did not wear national team shirts, but, according to Thayna Maneti, 27, one of the coordinators of Nova Canudos, it was not because of rejection of the colors or the recent connection of the Brazilian uniform with Bolsonarist movements.

“People don’t have the money to buy the shirt anyway. Otherwise, they would have it”, said the coordinator.

To compensate, some wore ordinary clothes, but in the colors of the flag. Thayna was wearing a shirt from the national team customized by the movement, all red, with the Brazilian shield in white on the left side of the chest. In the center, the acronym of the MTST, and, on the right, its symbol. On the back, the number 25, in reference to the organization’s 25th anniversary.

Before departure, residents took chairs to the top of the lot, where the living space and the shed are located, which is normally used for meetings.

Next to it is the ciranda, used for the study of children and the development of cultural activities. It is closed for repairs: the rain ended up collapsing its roof.

Then another shed, this one designed to become a community library, which will be open to the entire community, not just those living in the occupation.

At the bottom of the land, connected by stairs, are the rows of shacks. In addition to the 420 families that live in Nova Canudos, there are also campers — people who do not live on the land, but who participate in the organization and collective activities, such as cleanup efforts and trails, as the security rounds are called. Adding them up, there are 2,000 families organized in the occupation.

Between locals and campers, the first half started lively, but soon the excitement subsided. In a corner, a young man braided the women yellow-green while buckets of popcorn passed through the room. With little Brazilian pressure on the Swiss, jokes also popped up in the back of the shack.

Before the end of the initial phase, women from the occupation began to bring food from the collective kitchens: there are 12 in Nova Canudos. In styrofoam boxes, there were mixtures of rice, black beans, lettuce, straw potatoes and stroganoff. Some brought bottles of soda, distributed among the entire audience, and beer cans were sold for R$4.

At halftime, reports were of dissatisfaction with Tite’s team.

José Aparecido, 59, one of the coordinators of the occupation, was dissatisfied with the departure. “Well, it was Zico, Ronaldo,” he replied when asked about Neymar. “He already won a lot of money, he doesn’t care about the national team”

For Irineu Teles, 63, unemployed, the best players in Brazil are Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. Palmeirense, he wanted to see Weverton in the national team’s goal. Dudu, according to him, also deserved a spot.

“Neymar is a boxer. I never liked his style, he just dribbles and falls,” said Irineu.

Dayane Fernandes, 23, who works in one of the group’s solidarity kitchens, has the same opinion about the star. For her, the real star is Richarlison, who scored both goals for Brazil in the victory over Serbia. Pedro Marcolino, a 58-year-old bricklayer, disagrees: in his opinion, the number 10 of the national team, injured in the last game, was fouled against the Swiss.

The second half started in a tense atmosphere. With few Brazilian chances, Switzerland advanced. In the occupation crowd, the sound was one: “MTST, the fight is for real!”

With Vinicius Junior’s goal, the vibration was intense, but withered as soon as Paulo César Oliveira, refereeing commentator for Globo, warned that the goal would be invalidated. Débora Lima, 25, the general organizer of the occupation, was outraged.

At Nova Canudos, Débora commands the coordinators. Each one takes care of their G —as the occupation sectors are called, which are numbered— and discuss their demands and initiatives with the organizer.

With a Brazilian flag on his back, the boy Mateus do Santos was glued to the screen, sitting in the front row. Anyone who complained about the players, especially Vinicius Junior, was scolded by the boy.

In the end, the goal came out. The fear of yet another annulment hovered in the room, which never came. After the hard-fought victory, the feeling was one of relief.

“It’s good, right? Winning is already great” said Dayane. José Carlos dos Santos, 38, delivery man, was happy with the result, but said he was already happy with the fact that the selection will not go back to the way it was before. “1 to 0 is not a result, we had to do one more”, said Irineu.

The general climate is one of optimism with the Brazilian team at Nova Canudos. Most believe in the title and support without rejecting the national symbols added to Bolsonarism, with the exception of Neymar.

Despite the rain, some still gathered in common areas after the match, while others returned to their shacks, to rest or continue the work they had done before the game, repairing shacks affected by the rain, tending to the collective gardens and planning their life in the occupation.