“Cry of Outcasts” rallies call for food, housing, democracy in Brazil

The 28th edition of the event was staged in 25 states

Published on 08/09/2022 - 13:27 By Wellton Máximo, Camila Maciel, Akemi Nitahara - Brasília São Paulo Rio de Janeiro

With the slogan “Brazil: 200 years of (in)dependence—for whom?” the Cry of the Outcasts (Grito dos Excluídos in the original Portuguese) staged its 28th edition with demonstrations in 51 cities across 25 Brazilian states. Spearheaded by popular and urban movements, trade unions, and Catholic pastoral associations, the event focused on employment, housing, land, food, and democracy as its top demands.

São Paulo

Under persistent rain and a cold of 14ºC, the Cry of the Outcasts was held at Praça da Sé, downtown. The rally began with breakfasts for the homeless. “It’s a cry against hunger. We’ve joined the fight so that the efforts against hunger may take center stage in politics. Brazil must not accept this many people going hungry,” said Kelli Mafort, of the national board of the Landless Rural Workers Movement, the MST.

Edson Veloso, 38, has been unemployed for two years and was among those who received breakfast. At night, he stays at a city shelter in the Liberdade district but on the streets during the day. “I used to work as a bricklayer’s assistant. I had my own little place. Then, the pandemic came and the jobs were gone,” he says. This is the second time he has lived on the streets: “For me, Independence Day is just any day. Tomorrow, I’ll be back to the daily grind,” he said, regretfully.

Rio de Janeiro

Early in the morning, a huge banner stretched across the internationally famous aqueduct in the downtown neighborhood of Lapa, which read “Independence means Brazil free of hunger,” signed by associations made up of small farmers (MPA), victims of dam collapses (MBA), the homeless (MTST), and street vendors (MUCA).

The event brought together representatives from social movements, collectives, unions, and pastoral associations in the city center, who convened before heading for Rio’s port area.

The rally ended with the reading of the Letter from the Outcasts, at the spot where millions of enslaved people brought over from Africa disembarked—a location recognized as a world heritage site. The ceremony aimed to remind people that slavery in the country was only abolished 66 years after independence.

History

Held since 1995, the Cry of the Outcasts takes place in parallel with the September 7th parades. Every year, the event gathers members of vulnerable groups who consider themselves socially or historically excluded. Originally promoted by the Catholic Church, the Cry of the Outcasts also draws followers of different religions.

Translation: Fabrício Ferreira -  Edition: Pedro Ivo de Oliveira

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