Print

Mail

wiki links

Protesters swarm Brazil's Congress over pension cuts

Dozens of protesters swarmed Brazil's Congress on Wednesday, hurling rocks and manhole covers through windows, after legislators passed controversial cuts in the nation's costly public pensions system.

The demonstrators rushed past police barricades, up onto the roof and in front of the modernistic building to protest the reforms, which reduced benefits to public-sector workers to save 56 billion reais (US$18.36 billion) over the next 20 years.

Police said an estimated 25,000 people, many calling populist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a traitor, turned out to protest under the blistering sun. Other demonstrations near government ministries in Brasilia were orderly.

The reforms will cap pensions for future civil servants, raise the retirement age and tax pensions of retired public workers, among other provisions.

Lula scored a big political victory early on Wednesday when the lower chamber of Congress approved the reform proposal.

Lawmakers allied to Brazil's first elected leftist government pledged to quickly vote on individual amendments, which are necessary before the bill goes to another full vote in the lower chamber and then on to the Senate.

The amendments to be voted on could still remove some of the articles of the reform that have met the stiffest opposition, such as a requirement that retired civil servants pay income tax on their pensions.

One protester and ten Congressional workers were injured in the demonstration at Congress, including a cleaning woman who suffered a broken arm.

The violence appeared to strengthen the resolve of legislators to pass a reform the government says is key to Brazil's economic health.

"If we weren't going to vote, now we are," said Eduardo Campos, head of a party in Congress allied to the ruling Workers' Party. "The chamber has to respond to violence in respect to the government or the opposition's positions."

Protest leader Ezequiel Nascimento said the violence at Congress had hurt the opposition movement, which is divided on whether to try to amend the reform or derail it.

"It's been more than scratched, it's been broken like glass," said Nascimento, president of the legislative workers union (Sindlegis).
This story has been viewed 1233 times.