After a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a coordinator of the MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais sem Terra -Landless Rural Workers Movement), João Paulo Rodrigues, declared that the Lula government should make alliances with the Brazilian people.
Rodrigues, who was speaking for representatives of other social movements who also attended the meeting with Lula, said that such an alliance would be important so that the administration is not destabilized.
“We bring support and concern. The administration has to use this moment of difficulty to create an alliance with the Congress and the Brazilian people,” he said.
The representatives of some 42 social movement groups, who have joined together in an umbrella organization called the Social Movement Coordination (CMS), called for structural changes in the government’s economic policies.
Rodrigues explained that would mean improvements in income distribution and progress in land reform.
The leader declared that during the meeting Lula had ensured them that all charges of corruption will be investigated.
“Lula repeated the phrase he already used: that he will cut to the bone if necessary to remove the problem,” Rodrigues said.
Antonio Carlos Spis, another union leader, presently secretary of Communication for CUT (Central íšnica de Trabalhadores – Unified Workers’ Federation), who also attended the meeting, said the social movements are firmly behind the administration and will maintain a permanent communications channel.
Discussions with the government on the administration’s economic policies are scheduled to begin next month, he said.
At the beginning of this week, the newly formed CMS emitted a letter addressed to the Brazilian people calling for a mobilization of society to protect the Lula administration and combat corruption.
A copy of the letter was given to Lula at the meeting. “He said he knew he could count on his friends and companions, especially in difficult times,” said Spis.
ABr