In the following we share a translation of an article of the newspaper A Nova Democracia.
[source: anovademocracia.com.br]
A packed auditorium with 350 people. This was the scenario in which the debate on the balance of the struggles of 2019 and perspectives: From a revolutionary point of view took place, organized by the newspaper A Nova Democracia, on October 22nd. Present were the philosopher and professor of the University of São Paulo (USP), Vladimir Safatle, and representatives of the League of Poor Peasants (Liga dos Camponeses Pobres - LCP), the Workers League (Liga Operária), the Popular Women's Movement (Movimento Feminino Popular - MFP) and the Revolutionary Popular Student Movement (Movimento Estudantil Popular Revolucionário - MEPR).
The event took place in the auditorium 91 on the 9th floor of the University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), which was completely decorated with banners, posters and flags of revolutionary and democratic organizations.
The event began with the presentation of the music group Casa Norte, which initially played the song Carta Branca and then, as a way of honoring the LCP, played the anthem of the combative peasant movement, Conquer the Land.
When the speeches began, the speakers took balance of the popular struggles in 2019 and addressed the political situation, as well as the current preventive counterrevolutionary military coup underway in Brazil and the attacks on the people promoted by the Bolsonaro government and the generals.
Militants of the MEPR and MFP spoke about the participation of the youth and women of the people in the mobilizations that took place in 2019 - such as the actions against the cuts of funds, the “Future-se” [proposed educational program of the brazilian Ministry of Education] and other attacks on education - and carried out a contentious denunciation of the genocide that is being carried out by the Witzel government against the poor people in Rio de Janeiro. They were followed by the representative of the Workers League, who addressed workers' mobilizations (such as the General Strike in June) against the "reform" of Social Security and other anti-workers and anti-people measures, particularly in Belo Horizonte, where the League participates in the Plenary Union of the General Strike.
The representative of LCP began his speech with a tribute to the peasant leader Cleomar Rodrigues, because, on the day of the debate, it was five years after his murder in the north of Minas. Later, the representative of the LCP made an excellent analysis of the peasant struggle and the role it plays in the present moment, as well as the progress of the struggle for the Agrarian Revolution in the country.
“The masses want revolution, they are thirsty for revolutionary violence - so Bolsonaro rides the wave of discontent, because, superficially, he says that Congress is a bandit and the people see that this is true. We have to unmask him, because he defends the exploitation of the masses, which we have to show!”, explained the LCP representative.
USP philosopher and professor Vladimir Safatle gave a broad and accurate exposition on the Brazilian political situation, addressing several aspects.
“Some might think that a crowded auditorium talking about 'class struggle', 'revolution', 'proletarian ideology' could only be explained if they opened the door of a psychiatric hospital. Yes, some would think that. But, see, here we are because nothing is more acute. While some tell us that we should reconcile with those who attack us - those, for me, are the ones who rave,” Safatle said.
At the end, the group Casa Norte played three more songs, among them the revolutionary songs Bandeira Rubra and Bella Ciao, which were sung at the top of the lungs by all present. The event featured a large bookstand, newspapers, and other popular and democratic press materials, as well as a bookstand from publisher n-1.