National demonstration defends general strike to put them all out and demand general elections
By PSTU
In the morning of last Sunday, May the 1st, International Workers’ Day, around 4 thousand people, from several parts of the country, gathered in Paulista Avenue saying: Out with Dilma, Temer, Cunha and Aécio! The protest, called by CSP_Conlutas and other organizations from the Space Unity of Action, was a counterpart to the demonstration in defense of Dilma’s government, that took place in Anhangabaú, and the event was organized by Fuerza Sindical [Union Strenght], PDSB and other sectors that defend a government of Temer in alliance with the bourgeois opposition.
The demonstration had an expressive participation of the popular movement, workers of the metal industry, even metal workers from São José dos Campos (SP), which in the last weeks have been organizing stoppages and demonstrations over the main factories of the region, defending “All of them out!”. There also were bank employees, oil workers, education professionals, students and public workers. “We are here creating a pole of resistance against PT, PSDB and this Congress; “the struggle for building a general strike to put all those villains out is here” affirmed Atnágoras Lopes, from the Executive Secretariat of CSP-Conlutas.
“Here, in Paulista Avenue, are those who come to say out loud that the Brazilian working class, the working class of our country, does not want Dilma, but does not want Temer either” stated Zé María, from PSTU. “There is no solution for the problems that hit the working class with this gang currently governing our country” added, quoting the uncountable attacks performed by Dilma to defend the interests of the bankers and bosses.
“We saw, when voting impeachment, that nothing will come out from this gang to defend the interests of the working class”, he criticized. “This is why PSTU defends impeachment is not the solution for the Brazilian people, as it trades six for half a dozen”, he said, reaffirming the necessity of a general strike in Brazil, not to keep this government who attacks us, but not to guarantee the impeachment articulated by this National Congress either, and to take them all out instead.
“We know the definitive solution for our class will not come from this government, but a socialist government of the workers, supported in popular councils, in the struggle organizations of our class”, affirmed Zé María. As long as we do not have these kind of organizations, “the people should be given the right to choose who rules, be it for deputy, senator or president. This is why we defend general elections now!”.
Zé María ended his speech making a call to MTST and the leadership of PSOL to be part of the struggle to take them all out instead of defending “Stay Dilma”.
Samia Bomfim from MES (Socialist Left Movement), internal tendency of PSOL, talked recalling the struggle of the high-school students, currently occupying schools in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. “It is in these struggles we have to rely on to make a political alternative”, she affirmed. “What we are seeing with impeachment is the failed project of class conciliation of PT, that chose to govern relying on the bourgeoisie instead of the popular mobilization”, stated, supporting general elections and criticizing “the comrades who are now in the Governments’ demonstration”.
The PSOL’s Council from Rio de Janeiro, Babá, shared this critic. “I am sorry right now, in Anhangabaú, the federal deputy of PSOL, Iván Valente, whose heart belongs to PT still, and other comrades of PSOL, are part of that demonstration”, he stated. “It is a shame for PSOL to be there next to Dilma, next to Lula, traitor of the Brazilian working class”.
The strong sun was not enough to discourage the demonstrators. The event started around 10 am, and lasted until the beginning of the afternoon. Besides the speeches from the organizations that were part of the construction of the demonstration, the event counted with several artistic interventions, a lot of rap and samba.
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Translation: Sofía Ballack
