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3 February, 2002Brazilian trade union offices searched by men armed with machine guns. Safes and computers were stolen.
BRAZIL: The Sao Paulo headquarters offices of the Brazilian trade union confederation CUT, the IMF affiliate CNM and other trade unions were ransacked by armed men during the night of February 1-2.
The men, claiming they were from the "federal police", threatened and locked up the night security officer. A group of ten men armed with machine guns spent the rest of the night raiding the building. Working their way from the seventh floor down to ground level, they stole a number of safes and computers.
IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi, attending the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, labelled the incident as "horrible". He said it was "part of a bigger picture, with political undertones. With the upcoming elections, political violence is increasing in Brazil. Trade union leaders receive threatening letters, politicians are murdered and trade unions harassed."
Recently, two mayors belonging to the PT (Workers' Party) have been killed. The PT is led by Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva, a former metalworker and trade union leader.
The men, claiming they were from the "federal police", threatened and locked up the night security officer. A group of ten men armed with machine guns spent the rest of the night raiding the building. Working their way from the seventh floor down to ground level, they stole a number of safes and computers.
IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi, attending the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, labelled the incident as "horrible". He said it was "part of a bigger picture, with political undertones. With the upcoming elections, political violence is increasing in Brazil. Trade union leaders receive threatening letters, politicians are murdered and trade unions harassed."
Recently, two mayors belonging to the PT (Workers' Party) have been killed. The PT is led by Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva, a former metalworker and trade union leader.