Truckers block roads in 17 Brazilian states in protest of Lula da Silva’s election

Truckers blocked highways in 17 states this Monday (Oct. 31) in demonstrations against the election of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

According to a survey by Poder360, until 4:30 pm this Monday (Oct. 31), there were 148 points of blocking on federal and state highways.

The last communication from the PRF (Federal Highway Police) at 4:15 pm this Monday mentioned 136 blocking points still active.

According to a survey conducted by Poder360 with the state PRF units, there were blockades or accumulations in the following states:

Acre;
Bahia;
Espírito Santo;
Roraima
Rio Grande do Sul;
Santa Catarina;
Paraná;
Minas Gerais;
Rio de Janeiro;
Mato Grosso;
Mato Grosso do Sul;
Maranhão;
Rondônia;
Roraima;
Pará;
Goiás;
São Paulo.

In a note, the national PRF also cites the state of Alagoas, although it does not detail the affected highways. Here is the location of the roadblocks this Monday (Oct. 31).

Poder360 ascertained that there were eight more active standstill points on the following highways, which do not appear in the information released by the PRF state units:

BR 381, in Governador Valares (MG);
BR 158, in Panambi (RS);
BR 470, in Gaspar (SC);
ERS 122, Caxias (RJ);
BR 040, in Cristalina (GO) and Luziânia (GO);
BR 364, Campo Novo do Parecis (MT);
MT 170, Juína (MT).

Via Dutra (BR-116), which connects the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, has been blocked since 12:46 am this Monday (Oct. 31).

The road was blocked in both directions, with 18 km of congestion to Rio de Janeiro and 10 km in the direction of São Paulo.

According to information released by the president of Abrava (Brazilian Association of Drivers of Motor Vehicles), Wallace Landim, known as Chorão, the truck drivers are talking about 63 points of blocking.

The trucker leader attributes the blockades to the “radical right”. Chorão congratulated da Silva for his victory in the 2nd round of the elections on Sunday (Oct. 30).

“This moment of stopping the country will be very harmful to the economy. We need to recognize the democracy of this country and the victory of the president. Very tight, yes, and if it were the opposite [victory of president Jair Bolsonaro], the left would need to understand and accept it,” said Chorão.

The director of CNTTL (National Confederation of Transport and Logistics Workers), Carlos Alberto Litti Dahmer, said that “what we are experiencing is an anti-democratic action of some segments that do not represent the category of independent truck drivers.