The governor of the Brazilian state of São Paulo, Rodrigo Garcia, assured that he would use “all the necessary force” to undo roadblocks by supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro.
They are protesting against his recent electoral defeat.
“São Paulo respects democracy and the Democratic State of Law (…) we will use all the necessary force if necessary,” the governor declared at a press conference, although he added that, for now, the police negotiations with the protesters are working.
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In the state of São Paulo, the most populous in the country, there are blockades on at least ten highways, and during the early hours, even access to the Guarulhos international airport was obstructed.
However, the governor announced the situation is beginning to normalize on that road.
Garcia explained that the Highway Police is counting on the support of the Military Police and that “40 points that were blocked since yesterday” have already been released.
In addition, he recalled that protesters who use their vehicles to block roads, especially truck drivers, face a fine of R$100,000 (more than US$19,000) for each hour of obstruction.
“The elections are over; we live in a democratic country, São Paulo respects the right to vote, and no demonstration will make the country’s democracy go backward,” the governor settled.
Garcia belongs to the center-right Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), and in the presidential runoff, he supported President Jair Bolsonaro.
His successor as governor will be the former Minister of Infrastructure of the Bolsonaro government Tarcísio de Freitas, one of the first leaders of the conservatives to recognize Lula da Silva’s victory.
POLICE CLEAR THE MAIN HIGHWAY TO SÃO PAULO AIRPORT
In turn, the Federal Highway Police (PRF) released the Hélio Smidt highway, the main artery that connects the city with the Guarulhos international airport and the General Hospital of the same name, the most critical health center in that metropolitan city, to end the blockade that began on Monday night and caused the cancellation of at least 25 flights.
The liberation of all the highway lanes took place around 9:15 am local time (12:15 GMT) when the PRF troops exhausted the resource of dialogue and used pepper spray to run some 30 protesters resisting the blockade.
However, closures continue on five other main roads.
The government of the state of São Paulo formed a crisis cabinet together with the Military Police, thanks to which they reported the dissolution of 34 roadblocks near the city.
However, roadblocks remain in Anhanguera, which has two sections wholly blocked.
One in the city of Limeira, another in Jundiaí, and two sections in the city of Campinas, where the blockade is partial.
In Hortolândia, the Bandeirantes highway has the north lane blocked and the south lane free for traffic; the Régis Bittencourt road is also blocked.
The protests occur in the framework of a wave of roadblocks carried out by Bolsonaro truckers in 25 Brazilian states and the Federal District seeking to challenge the results of the Oct. 30 elections, and amid official silence from President Bolsonaro, who, until this moment, has not recognized his defeat.
However, Bolsonaro’s team and the elected head of state have already begun contacts for the transfer of powers, reported one of the leftist leader’s spokespeople.
On the night of Oct. 31, the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Alexandre de Moraes, ordered the PRF and military police from the states to clear all the roads blocked by Bolsonarist truckers.
De Moraes pointed out that the records of the acts make it “undeniable” that “the PRF has not been fulfilling its constitutional and legal task” and stipulated for the director of the force, Silvinei Vasques, a fine of R$100,000 (US$19,000) for an hour in case of non-compliance with the order and possible removal from office.
With information from Sputnik