Brazilian Congress’s Windows, Computers and Furniture Smashed by Protesters

Hundreds of landless farm workers in Brazil briefly invaded the lower house of parliament Tuesday, ransacking part of the building and clashing with security guards.

More than 20 people were injured, at least one of them seriously.

The incident began when landless protesters arrived at the Congress building in the capital, Brasí­lia, demanding the government speed up the redistribution of unproductive land.

Protest organizers say they wanted to present their demands peacefully to congressional leaders, but accused security guards of blocking their way and attacking the demonstrators.

The protesters then broke through the glass entrance of the Congress, using sticks and stones to smash windows, computers and furniture inside.

They left the building an hour later after the president of the lower chamber (Aldo Rebelo) called police to help re-establish order.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s office condemned the break-in as an act of vandalism.

The protesters belong to a radical group known as the Movement for the Liberation of the Landless (MLST), a breakaway faction of a larger group called the Landless Workers’ Movement.

VoA

Tags:

You May Also Like

Thermoelectric Plant to Generate 10% of the Energy of Manaus, Brazil

The first financing contract of the Development Fund of the Amazon (FDA), signed Monday, ...

Brazil Risk Was Never That Low: 206 Points

The US’s Central Bank announcement yesterday that it would keep basic interests rates unchanged ...

Brazil’s Hydraulic Equipment Maker Soprano Has Eyes for Middle East

Brazilian company Soprano, a maker of metals and hydraulic equipment from the state of ...

Brazil’s Debt to the Ford Foundation: E Unum Pluribus

The United States of America has long been recognized as a beacon of race ...

Eva

She might have lost her cool and might have told him that it was ...

Foreign Currency: Brazil Ended 2008 in the Red

The green influx of dollars in Brazil has decreased quite a bit. After five ...

Brazil Is Spending Less and Finance Minister Is Quite Happy

Between January and November, Brazil’s primary surplus – the savings achieved by the government ...

For Brazil the Paraguayan-Brazilian Row Over Itaipu Is Just Political

According to Brazilian president's international affairs advisor, Marco Aurélio Garcia, differences between Brazil and ...

Sapatoterapia, one of Brazil's shoe manufactures at Germany's GDS/GLS

German Fair Brings Close to US$ 20 Million to Brazilian Shoemakers

Shoe companies from Brazil participating in the March edition of GDS/GLS – the International ...

Palestinian Leader Abbas in Brazil Right After Peres and Just Before Ahmadinejad

Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has arrived in Brazil ...