(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL Summer edition - Brazil: The cup is full of struggles (fr, pt)

In 2007, Brazil was chosen to host the FIFA World Cup 2014. Lula (Workers' Party) in 
power, had in mind the idea of crowning nine years of governance by a huge sporting event, 
assumed to value the so-called advanced (social, economic) of Brazil last year. But in 
the final preparations for the World Cup, the tide reversed: tired es-growing social 
inequalities and the dictatorship of FIFA, Brazilian and Brazilian rally. ---- Struggles 
that erupted in recent times have to defend the rights acquired in the context of 
imperialist economic crisis, and the rights of workers around the world are attacked. 
Thus, we must see the looting of public money, with the casualization of labor, wage 
pressures, the removal of rights, changes in laws and the criminalization of social 
movements. This policy is the result of the global imperialism of multinationals are 
cutting back on social rights to ensure profits.

Instead of strengthening the image of Brazil as a country ? expanding the World Cup 
aggravates old contradictions that have never been surpassed and reveals the result of ten 
years of work of the Lula Government: social inequalities are among the worst in the 
world, and the economy is totally subservient to multinationals and imperialism. It 
elected to change this government finally maintained the status quo of the Brazilian 
bourgeoisie; it is against imperialism multinational our struggles, that surprised the 
world since June 2013, oppose, like other struggles in Greece, Spain, Portugal or even in 
Asia and Africa.

Any counterparty required by Fifa is that hosting the World Cup countries endorsed the 
"general law of the Cup" which gives a number of privileges to FIFA and its subsidiaries. 
Property grabbing by multinational companies is facilitated, and all means are good to 
meet Fifa benefiting from the "generosity" and the complicity of the Brazilian government 
when it comes to override the laws of the country to increase its profits. For example, 
Fifa got to sell beer in stadiums, while the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited 
since 2008 in all football stadiums in the country. The fact that FIFA is the owner of a 
company producing beer there is probably no stranger ... In contrast, the sale of any 
product to rival those of FIFA is prohibited within two kilometers of ? stages, whose 
surroundings are transformed into "territories of FIFA," with of course the ban on all 
demonstrations. Fifa vice pushed to assume the commercial monopoly of certain proper 
names, like the word "Pagoda", which is a characteristic of the poorest communities in the 
country music style. Fifty years after the military coup which established a bloody 
dictatorship for twenty years, we're back, are back in terms of freedom and democracy in 
Brazil, the name of profit for Fifa, which expects a profit record approximately nine 
billions of dollars, obviously not taxable.

250,000 expelled

Lula said he would not waste public money to build and renovate stadiums yet $ 25 billion 
has been spent on the World Cup ? past six years. By comparison, the homemaking program 
which is a showcase for the redistribution of wealth in Brazil, costs about $ 24 billion. 
The work, funded by the federal government or state-owned banks, have shown a greater than 
what has been committed for the World Cups in Germany and South Africa cost. But this work 
also have a social impact, especially for the poorest: an estimated 250 000 people were 
evicted from their homes to carry out the work. These are the famous "forced removals", 
which represent one of the most unfair aspects of this World.

Mobilizations radicalized

Since 2007, the joy of seeing Brazil elected to host the World Cup has turned into anger. 
According to surveys the majority of the population opposes the expenditure arising from 
the World Cup. Indeed meantime it became clear that the Workers' Party in power has not 
solved social problems, and promotes an economic policy for banks and multinationals. 
While it is true that since the election of Lula, there has been integration into the 
labor market of 21 million people, it is the price of precarious jobs with very low wages. 
Decent jobs tend to fall.

As for public services (health, education, transport), they degrade more; this was the 
cause of the huge social movement in June 2013 which saw millions of people across the 
country show. If the catalyst mobilizations was the price of public transport, the protest 
concerned the situation of all public and police repression and corruption services.

Since then, the street demonstrations were cooled including the intense police repression. 
But the protest continues to rise, yet especially in the areas of organized workers. Since 
June 2013 class consciousness has increased, resulting in strikes and mobilizations 
radicalized, most of the time, pass over reconciliations with management, as was the case 
for strike Employees of public cleanliness in Rio in February. Early June 2014, employees 
of the S?o Paulo Metro, the union president is linked to the CSP (Central Sindical Popular 
e) have launched es in one of the biggest strikes in the history of the area, facing the 
repression and cruelty of the government.

The CSP-Conlutas is pleased to be part of this fight and hope that solidarity actions 
taking place in the world. In this process the international trade union Solidarity 
Network and control plays a decisive role. More than unite around solidarity with Brazil, 
? this mobilization strengthens the possibility of uniting around a real social project 
based on the direct action of workers on direct democracy as opposed the union leaders who 
betray the social movements through conciliation.

Dirceu Travesso (CSP Conlutas - Brasil)