Protesters occupy INCRA headquarters in Brasília

Protesters occupied Monday (Jan. 11) morning the building of the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) in Brasília. Members of the Social Struggle Movement (Movimento Social de Luta, in Portuguese) have occupied the building at 4am and prevent the civil servants' access to the building by blocking the main entrance.

The Military Police (PM) of the Federal District (DF) estimates that about 150 people occupy the area around the building, but they have not reported the exact number of protesters inside the building. The MSL already reported that 450 families took part in the squatting and the 11 floors of the building have been occupied by members of the movement.

According to MSL's General-Director Hugo Zaidan, the list of demands includes to resume the food baskets distribution for the settlements, to inspect occupied areas and to register the families. He also reported that similar squattings have simultaneously happened in the state of São Paulo and Mato Grosso.

He said the group expects to be received by INCRA's President Lucia Falcão. "If she meets us, we leave [the building]. If not, we will only leave when she comes to meet us," he declared. The group is representing eight camp settlements and 4,500 families.

After meeting with members of the movement, INCRA's Managing Director Cleide Souza reported that the agency is waiting for a unified agenda and only after that, they will begin the negotiation process. She announced that they have already requested immediate eviction of the building. The National Agrarian Ombudsman accompanies the process.

"We receive an agenda and review the items. They will be received by the chief of staff and the vice president, because the president is on vacation," reported the director.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta