2022 Brazilian election protests
2022 Brazilian election protests | |||
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Truckers protesting against the result of the 2022 presidential elections in the BR-381, Timóteo, Minas Gerais | |||
Date | 30 October – present (4 days) | ||
Location | |||
Caused by | Victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2022 Brazilian general election | ||
Goals | Military intervention, contest Lula's victory in the election | ||
Methods | Protest marches, picketing, political demonstrations, barricades street blockades | ||
Parties to the civil conflict | |||
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The 2022 Brazilian election protests began shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 Brazilian general election, which was won by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on 30 October.[2] Bolsonaro supporters, mostly truck drivers, started blocking roads and highways in the country.[3] At least 23 Brazilian states, plus the Federal District, recorded roadblocks as of 1 November, adding up to at least 267 roadblocks according to data from Federal Highway Police (PRF).[4]
The protesters have in common the rejection of the election result and call for a coup or military intervention to prevent the inauguration of the elected president.[5][6] and its members threatened to burn alive students from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) on the grounds that they were supporters of president-elect Lula.[7] The blockades were since classified as domestic terrorism.[8][9]
These blockades have been widely criticized by entities, politicians,[10] and authorities due to the fact that they have caused large losses of food, paralysis of supply products such as fuel and medicines, impediment of the citizen's right to transit, cancellation of flights, accidents, and deaths.[11] They have also been called "attacks against democracy", as they contest the electoral process and its legitimacy.[12][13][14]
Background
Although the paralysis of the streets began after the election results declared Bolsonaro's defeat by Lula, the blockades were already being planned weeks before. A 14 October message that went viral on Telegram asked Bolsonaro supporters to stay in the streets if Lula won the election and called for a truckers' strike. During the entire period leading up to the second round of voting on 30 October, calls for a truckers' strike circulated in Bolsonarist groups. These messages calling for a truckers' strike referred to a speech made by Bolsonaro in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, on 11 October. According to Bolsonaro's supporters, the incumbent president's speech calling on voters to stay in the section after the vote was an indication of the strikes. In Pelotas, Bolsonaro said: "On the 30th, wearing green and yellow, we will vote and we will remain in the polling station area until the results are counted. I'm sure that the result will be the one we all hope for, because the other side can't get anyone together."[15]
Reserve military wanted a truckers' strike before the second round, like reserve colonel Marcos Koury. A video, published on 16 October, was one of several attempts by Koury to incite a general strike of truckers before the second round of elections. The idea was that drivers should paralyze Brazil to show support for Bolsonaro, who would have time to publish a provisional measure that would institute printed voting. Koury's video about the shutdowns was shared in several Bolsonaro groups on Telegram, and days later members of these same groups started advocating roadblocks after the elections. Calls for the shutdown were also made on TikTok and YouTube.[16]
Performance of the Federal Highway Police
On the day of the stoppage, the PRF activated the Office of the General Counsel for the Union (AGU) to ensure the flow of roads, but the AGU responded that the PRF could act without authorization from the agency. The PRF released a statement saying that it "has adopted all measures to return the flow to normal", and that it is prioritizing dialogue to ensure the right to protest.[17] Some people criticized the apparent inaction of the PRF, which the day before conducted operations considered illegal throughout the country.[18] Several videos were released in which the policemen said that they would not do anything about the blockade. In one, the policeman states that the order was only to monitor the demonstrations.[19]
The Supreme Federal Court (STF) ordered that the PRF immediately unblock the roads under penalty of R$100,000 per hour to General Director Silvinei Vasques .[20] Minister Alexandre de Moraes issued a note on 31 October, urging the PRF to take "all necessary and sufficient measures" to open the roads. The determination cites the "omissive" and "inert" posture of Director-General Silvinei Vasques. The letter states the possibility of removal of the director if he fails to comply with the determination. Besides the PRF, the president of the TSE demanded the collaboration of other public security forces to clear the roads.[21]
Videos circulated of PRF officers allying themselves with the protesters.[22] Newspapers reported that the tone of the policemen is one of leniency.[23] The PRF directorate said that it did not send any support orders and that procedures will be opened to investigate the cases of police officers who did so. The police officers have not been removed, as the organization believes it needs as many people as possible to act during the protests.[24]
Reactions
Politicians
Deputies Nikolas Ferreira of the Liberal Party (PL), Daniel Silveira of the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB), and Carla Zambelli of the PL supported and encouraged the actions of the Bolsonarists who are blocking the roads.[25] Senator Simone Tebet of the Brazilian Democratic Movement, who was defeated in the first round, said that roadblocks by supporters of Bolsonaro are "antidemocratic" and that the "moment now is for peace and unity".[26]
45 hours after the end of the second round, Bolsonaro gave a brief speech, saying: "Peaceful demonstrations will always be welcome, but our methods cannot be those of the left, which have always harmed the population, such as invading property, destroying heritage, and curtailing the right to come and go."[27]
The Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST) has instructed its militants to organize demonstrations to unblock the main access roads, and also not to clash with the protesters.[28] The PT president Gleisi Hoffmann said that the state is the one that should deal with the protests, and declared that the new government would maintain dialogue with the truck drivers.[29]
Superior Electoral Court
The Superior Electoral Court sent several court orders to shut down the Telegram and WhatsApp groups, as well as the TikTok and YouTube channels, which were used to organize the protests, based on article 142 of the Constitution of Brazil, an order that was heeded by the technology companies.[30]
Supreme Federal Court
The STF held Bolsonaro responsible for the protests and ordered the immediate unblocking of the roads. Moraes also considered the actions of the PRF as omissive and inert.[31]
Truck drivers
Leaders of organizations of the truckers category made different statements about the movement. Wallace Landim, also known as Chorão, president of the Brazilian Association of Drivers of Motor Vehicles (Abrava), repudiated the blockades.[32] The president of the Parliamentary Mixed Front for the Defense of Independent and Full-Time Truck Drivers, Nereu Crispim , affirmed that there are no plans to paralyze the category as a whole.[18] The president of the Ourinhos Truck Drivers Union confirmed the mobilization of the category for strikes.[33] The mobilization has taken place mainly through Telegram groups, and counts on independent leaders from the main entities of the category.[34]
Consequences
The blockades of roads and highways have affected various sectors of society, such as the meat and milk industries, partial paralysis of the meat industry, and the supply of supermarkets and gas stations.[35] Several hospitals were also affected. There was general concern about the supply of oxygen and other supplies. Some hospitals had to cancel surgeries.[36] The Butantan Institute informed that a load of eggs that will be used to produce vaccines against the flu is stuck in a blockade near Jundiaí (SP), 47 km from São Paulo. If the cargo does not arrive at Butantan, which is located in the west zone of São Paulo, the production of 1.5 million doses of the immunizer against H3N2 may be compromised.[37]
By 9:30 UTC-3 on 1 November, around 25 flights had been canceled at the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport due to the blockade of the Helio Smidt highway by Bolsonarists.[38] The blockades have caused fatal accidents, as in Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso, where a driver died when his car collided with a truck stopped at a roadblock on BR-364.[39] In Ipatinga, Minas Gerais, a motorcyclist died and a woman on the back was injured after crashing into a tanker truck on the urban stretch of BR-381. At the time of the collision, the truck was maneuvering to return after being blocked at a roadblock.[40]
See also
References
- ^ "MTST enviará milhares às estradas para desarmar barricadas golpistas". br.noticias.yahoo.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Após derrota de Bolsonaro, país tem 236 bloqueios em estradas". www.metropoles.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Rodovias têm 167 bloqueios com protestos de bolsonaristas; veja situação por estado". Valor Investe (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Após derrota de Bolsonaro, país tem 236 bloqueios em estradas". www.metropoles.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "'Não vamos parar': a reação de grupos bolsonaristas nas redes ao discurso de Bolsonaro". BBC News Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Caminhoneiros fecham os dois sentidos da Via Dutra, principal acesso entre São Paulo e Rio". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Manifestantes pró-Bolsonaro bloqueiam ônibus e ameaçam estudantes da UFRJ na Via Dutra". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "'O que está acontecendo em vários estados do Brasil é terrorismo doméstico'". cbn.globoradio.globo.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ Povo, O. (1 November 2022). "Grupos golpistas bloqueiam aeroportos e voos são cancelados e atrasados". O POVO (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ Povo, Gazeta do. "Entidades e autoridades criticam bloqueios nas rodovias pelo Brasil". Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Carro atropela grupo durante bloqueio bolsonarista em rodovia de SP; meninas de 10 e 11 anos foram atingidas". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ Poder360 (1 November 2022). "Políticos criticam bloqueios e pedem respeito à eleição". Poder360 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "OAB chama de 'inaceitáveis' bloqueios em rodovias após derrota de Bolsonaro". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Telegram barra grupos que apoiam golpe; por que empresa mudou de postura?". www.uol.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Bolsonaro pede que eleitores permaneçam nas seções eleitorais no 2º turno; lei proíbe aglomeração". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 11 October 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Bloqueio de estradas já estava sendo articulado nas redes semanas antes da votação". CartaCapital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Julia Affonso (31 October 2022). "PRF pode atuar em protesto de caminhoneiros 'sem demandar autorização', diz AGU". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Caminhoneiros bloqueiam rodovias de pelo menos sete estados". R7 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ Raquel Lopes (31 October 2022). "Agente da PRF diz a caminhoneiros que única ordem é 'estar aqui com vocês'; veja vídeo". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ Isabella Cavalcante, Paulo Roberto Netto, Caíque Alencar e Robson Santos (31 October 2022). "STF forma maioria e valida ordem de Moraes para PRF desbloquear rodovias". Uol (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Moraes vê omissão e inércia da PRF e manda que BRs sejam desbloqueadas". metropole (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Vídeos mostram que PRF se alia a manifestantes em SC". nsctotal (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Bloqueios: vídeos mostram agentes da PRF apoiando caminhoneiros em SC". metropole (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ Camila Turtelli, Mariana Durães e Caio Mello (1 November 2022). "PRF diz ter identificado casos de policiais suspeitos de ajudar em atos". Uol (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Zambelli, Nikolas e Silveira incitam golpe de Estado". Metrópoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Simone Tebet chama paralisações das rodovias de "antidemocráticas"". Metrópoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ Matheus Teixeira, Renato Machado e Marianna Holanda (1 November 2022). "Bolsonaro quebra silêncio, condena bloqueios e fala em indignação e injustiça com eleição". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "MTST pede que militantes não entrem em confronto com bolsonaristas nas estradas". Valor Econômico (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Cristiane Agostine e João Valadares (11 January 2022). "Presidente do PT discorda da posição do MTST sobre agir contra protestos de bolsonaristas". Valor Econômico (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Patrícia Campos Mello e Renata Galf (1 November 2022). "TSE dá ordens em série para derrubar grupos golpistas que se multiplicam nas plataformas". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Mônica Bergamo (1 November 2022). "Mônica Bergamo: 'Estamos lidando com um moleque', diz ministro do STF sobre Bolsonaro". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "O que se sabe até agora sobre as manifestações dos caminhoneiros pelo Brasil após a vitória de Lula". Valor Econômico (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Líderes da greve de 2018 condenam paralisações feitas por caminhoneiros em doze estados do país". Oglobo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Caminhoneiros bolsonaristas bloqueiam estradas em ao menos 14 estados e no DF". Folha de São Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "'Indústria está parada', diz representante de frigoríficos do Mato Grosso sobre bloqueios nas estradas". BBC News Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ André Biernath (1 November 2022). "Hospitais recebem alerta de falta de oxigênio por bloqueio de estradas". BBC News Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ "Carga com ovos para produção de vacinas do Butantan fica parada por conta de bloqueios de bolsonaristas em rodovia de SP". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Bloqueios nas estradas afetam abastecimento em supermercados e postos". economia.uol.com.br. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Bruna Barbosa (1 November 2022). "Empresário bate em carreta parada em bloqueio de estrada e morre em MT". UOL. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Jornal Diário do Aço (1 November 2022). "Acidente fatal no Ferroviários, em Ipatinga" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
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