Brazil’s Landless Start 17-Day March Against Lula

Approximately 11 thousand people initiated this morning, in Goiânia, in the state of Goiás, Brazil, the National March for Agrarian Reform. The goal is to arrive in BrasÀ­lia (200 km) by May 17th. At the arrival, there will be an event at the Ministries Esplanade.

Members of the Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST), of Via Campesina, and of other social movements left the Serra Dourada Stadium, by foot, towards highway BR 060, which connects Goiânia to Brasí­lia.

According to Valter Misnerovizz, of the MST national direction, which is heading the mobilization, the “rhythm of Lula’s government agrarian reform is very slow, and does not satisfy social movements.”

With the march, the movement intends to press the government to speed up families’ settlement.

Rural workers want to hand a letter to President Lula demanding the achievement of the goal to settle 430 thousand families until the end of his mandate.

They also want him to invest on family agriculture, and to reduce rural violence. In this first day, the rural workers intend to walk 16.5 km (10.2 miles).

ABr