XPost: uk.legal, alt.politics.scorched-earth, uk.politics.misc
XPost: alt.politics.uk
From: burfordTjustice@tues.uk
On Mon, 1 May 2017 00:43:18 -0700 (PDT)
harry wrote:
> On Saturday, 29 April 2017 12:12:14 UTC+1, burfordTjustice wrote:
> > The strike was to protest major changes to labor law and the pension
> > system being considered by Congress, but it was also a raw display
> > of anger by many Brazilians fed up with corruption and worried
> > about the future amid a deep recession and rising unemployment.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Protesters torch buses, block roads during Brazil strike
> >
> > RIO DE JANEIRO – Protesters lit buses on fire, blocked roads and
> > clashed with police on Friday during a general strike that brought
> > transportation to a halt in many cities across Latin America's
> > largest nation.
> >
> > The strike was to protest major changes to labor law and the
> > pension system being considered by Congress, but it was also a raw
> > display of anger by many Brazilians fed up with corruption and
> > worried about the future amid a deep recession and rising
> > unemployment.
> >
> > In Rio de Janeiro, after hours of clashes with police in front of
> > the legislative building, several buses were torched. In Sao Paulo,
> > thousands marched toward the home of President Michel Temer,
> > throwing rocks at police who shot stun grenades when protesters
> > tried to go beyond barriers set up.
> >
> > Millions stayed home, either in support of the strike or simply
> > because they were unable to get to work. The tens of thousands who
> > took to the street raised questions about whether Temer will be
> > able to push his proposals through Congress, where they had
> > previously looked likely to pass.
> >
> > Temer's administration argues that more flexible labor rules will
> > revive a moribund economy and warns the pension system will go
> > bankrupt without changes. Unions and other groups called for the
> > strike, saying the changes before Congress will make workers too
> > vulnerable and strip away too many benefits.
> >
> > In a statement Friday night, Temer characterized the protesters as
> > "small groups" that blocked the roads and streets. He said his
> > administration was working to help Brazilians workers overcome the
> > country's economic malaise.
> >
> > Earlier in the day, most commuter trains and metro lines were
> > stopped in Sao Paulo during the height of morning commute, and all
> > buses stayed off the roads. Buses ran partial service during the
> > morning in Rio but later began returning to normal. The metro was
> > closed for the day in the capital of Brasilia.
> >
> > Some protesters also set up barricades and started fires in the
> > streets, including on roads heading to the main airports in Sao
> > Paulo. In Rio, protesters created confusion by running through
> > Santos Dumont Airport, and others blocked a major road.
> >
> > Some plane mechanics joined the strike, according to the National
> > Aeronautic Union, but the impact was minimal, with only a handful
> > of flights canceled or delayed at the two cities' airports.
> >
> > "We are demanding our rights, as workers, because the president of
> > the country proposed a law for people to work more and live less,
> > so you will only receive your pension when you die," said Edgar
> > Fernandes, a dock worker who was protesting in Rio.
> >
> > The CUT union said around 35 million Brazilians didn't show up for
> > work on Friday, more than one-third of the working population. But
> > government officials downplayed the strike, insisting that many
> > Brazilians were still at work.
> >
> > "We don't have a strike, we have widespread riots," Justice
> > Minister Osmar Serraglio said on Joven Pam radio.
> >
> > Brazil's economy is in a deep recession, and many Brazilians are
> > frustrated with Temer's government. Temer, whose approval ratings
> > are hovering around 10 percent, has argued the proposed changes
> > will benefit Brazilians in the long run. But with so many out of
> > work, many feel they can ill afford any cuts to their benefits.
> >
> > Meanwhile, the country is mired in a colossal scandal involving
> > billions of dollars in kickbacks to politicians and other public
> > officials. Over the last three years, dozens of top politicians and
> > businessmen have been jailed in the so-called Car Wash
> > investigation that has produced near daily revelations of
> > wrongdoing.
> >
> > Scores of sitting politicians, including Temer himself and several
> > of his ministers, have been implicated. Temer denies wrongdoing.
> >
> > In one the largest demonstrations Friday, thousands of protesters
> > gathered in front Rio de Janeiro's state assembly in the afternoon
> > and were fighting pitched battles with police who tried to remove
> > them. Police fired tear gas while protesters threw stones and lit
> > small fires in the middle of streets.
> >
> > In Sao Paulo, police told downtown shopkeepers to close early,
> > apparently out of concern that protesters might head there.
> > Throughout the day, 21 people were arrested in Sao Paulo, according
> > to military police.
> >
> > Underscoring the economic malaise, the IBGE statistics agency
> > announced on Friday that unemployment had jumped to 13.7 percent in
> > the first quarter of the year, up from 12 percent.
> >
> > The anger over the proposed changes to benefits shows that Temer's
> > government has failed to convince the people that the moves are
> > necessary, said Oliver Stuenkel, who teaches international
> > relations at the Fundacao Getulio Vargas university in Sao Paulo.
> > And yet, the proposed laws have been moving fairly easily through
> > Congress, and had been expected to eventually pass.
> >
> > "This is a peculiar government that has low approval and still gets
> > work done in Congress," he said. "But lawmakers also think of their
> > re-elections next year. After today, there could be a bigger risk
> > for Temer in getting any meaningful bills passed."
>
> Can't be true.
> Brazil is one of the BRIC countries we are all supposed to admire.
Well there is that...hmmmmmmm
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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