Curitiba,Paraná, Brazil- 4/30/2018 – 11 AM
- This morning the sun rose over an Olga Benário corner that was packed with people who have come from other states to prepare for the big May Day protest. Since the beginning of the morning, the line for credentials for the arriving buses has crossed the streets around the Federal Police building where Lula is being held as a political prisoner. There was a pause in the registration process for the traditional “Good Morning Lula” yell, which included the voices of Congressmen Waldenor Pereira (PT-Bahia), Marco Maia (PT-Rio Grande do Sul), Pedro Uczai (PT- Santa Catarina) and Margarida Salomão (PT-Minas Gerais).
- “Jefferson saved a lot of lives in that camp,” said Felix de Barros, Director of the São Paulo Federation of Transport Workers, about his comrade who was injured in the gunfire attack at the Marisa Leticia camp. Jefferson, who is now in stable condition, was emotionally remembered during the protest this morning on this, his 39th birthday as hundreds of camp activists sang happy birthday for him.
- “Jefferson understood the struggle and the class advances made during the Lula government and that is why he is here. He came here to be with the people, leaving his family in São Paulo. It’s sad that a person who came to support the people almost lost his life,” said Felix. “They shot a union man who represents more than 20,000 workers in the ABC region of São Paulo. Who would want to shut the mouths of a worker? Our democracy?”
- A large act of pamphlet distribution and mobilization started in Curitiba this morning at 9 AM, to denounce the political imprisonment of Lula and to defend his freedom. At this moment in the Lula Livre Vigil a public class is taking place, facilitated by Historians for Democracy, debating the 2016 Coup and the force of the past. After the class ends, João Moraes (FUP), Jussara Dutra (CNTE) and Gilberto Cervinski (MAB), along with FETRAF and the MST, will facilitate an act from the City and Country Platform.
- The activities at the #LulaLivre Democratic Vigil Camp will continue this afternoon with an act facilitated by Congressman Luiz Sergio (PT-Rio de Janeiro) and Elaine Cruz, PT Health Secretary; a woman’s plenary session; and a presentation by Legal Scholars for Democracy and the Union and People’s movement.
- This afternoon a giant inflatable movie screen will arrive in Curitiba from Acre. At 6 PM the Cinema for Democracy Festival will begin on Santos Andrades Square. The opening films will include “O golpe em 50 cortes ou a corte em 50 golpes” (The coup in 50 cuts or a cut in 50 coups) by Lucas Campolina, “Poesia na guerra” (Poetry in war) by Fernando Salinas and Guilherme Fernandes, and “O Processo” (The Process) by Maria Augusta Ramos.
Bulletin 56 – People’s Committee for the Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba- 4/30/2018 – 11 AM
