Brazil: Protesters block highways in 7 states

Groups of protesters have blocked at least 72 stretches of highways since the early hours of Monday, October 31, against the alleged victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers’ Party – PT, left) in the Brazilian presidential elections on Sunday, October 30.

According to the PRF (Federal Highway Police), eight states still registered 74 active blockades as of 9:49 AM on Thursday, November 3.

So far, 776 demonstrations have been broken up. However, data from the corporation’s state directorates indicate about 72 blockades in seven states.

Poder360 considered the data from the PRF of each state, which is locally following each blocking point.

On Monday night, October 31, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the PRF to unblock the highways immediately.

Later, the STF formed a majority to uphold Moraes’ decision. Another decision by Moraes determined that the State Police (PM) could clear the highways, including the federal ones.

The minister fixed a fine of R$100,000 (US$19,400) per hour of non-compliance starting at midnight on Tuesday, November 1.

The penalty will be applied directly to the director general of the PRF, Silvinei Vasques.

In the decision, Moraes also says that Vasques can be arrested and removed for disobedience if the order is not complied with.

Vasques was a character in another episode before the elections, when the PRF conducted operations in collective transports that took voters to vote, mainly in the Northeast.

Moraes’ order came from a request from the CNT (National Transport Confederation), representing companies.

The CNT and the FPA (Parliamentary Front for Agriculture and Livestock) have spoken out against the interdictions.

The truck drivers also do not have the support of class entities. The president of Abrava (Brazilian Association of Drivers of Motor Vehicles), Wallace Landim -known as Chorão- attributed the blockades to the “radical right” and congratulated Lula da Silva for his victory in the runoff elections.

The director of CNTTL (National Confederation of Transport and Logistics), Carlos Alberto Litti Dahmer, said that the country is experiencing “an antidemocratic action of some segments that do not represent the category of autonomous truck drivers”.

With information from Poder360