[The Brazilian national election was held last week, and nearly half a million police and military were deployed to enforce the farce of democracy. Meanwhile, a popular boycott of the election developed in the cities and in the countryside. — Frontlines ed.]
Don’t Vote, Boycott the Electoral Farce!-Brazil
In recent weeks, popular organizations organized numerous activities for rejection of the 2014 electoral farce.
RIO DE JANEIRO
The Independent (FIP-RJ) Popular Front, which brings together various organizations of struggle, led the campaign in the state capital. On days 4 and 28/8, 17/9 and 11 pamphlets were handed out. In each of them, about 8000 pamphlets were distributed at the entrances to the main train station in Rio. Some of these actions were accompanied by a large banner of the Revolutionary Front for the Defence of the People (FRDDP) the rights to the phrase “Do not vote! Below the electoral farce! ‘.
Also on September 7, during the ‘Act Against State Terrorism Yesterday and Today’, held during the military parade and repressed by the police, pamphlets were published urging the boycott. On September 14, the FIP-RJ held in Morro Hat Mangueira, South Zone, Feijoada ‘Do not Vote! Fight for the revolution ‘. Besides the meal made by a community resident, people also participated in a debate on the electoral farce, which the newspaper The New Democracy was invited to participate in along with the Women’s Popular Movement (MFP), the Internationalist Front of the Homeless (FIST), the Committee of Parents and Relatives of Political Prisoners, the Residents Association and FIP itself.
Across the city, graffiti were made and pasted posters and stickers with the words’ Election not! Revolution yes! ‘,’ Do not Vote! Fight for the revolution! ‘,’ Election is farce! ‘ etc. A number of activities are scheduled to occur until October 5, as a debate organized by the Collective Dare to Struggle in IFCS UFRJ, in 25/9, with the theme ‘Why boycott the elections?’.
SAO PAULO
On September 13, activists of the Front Vote For Null and the Independent Popular Front (FIP-SP) performed the Act Against Electoral Farce in the center of the capital. With banners, flags and slogans, the protesters focused in front of the Municipal Theater and went on vigorously in the streets. A lot of soldiers in riot gear surrounded the act of PM, but did not deter those present, who obtained popular support. In many parts of the city a huge amount of posters were pasted both of the ‘Do not Vote’ campaign, as the ‘Null Vote’ campaign.
In pamphlets held in the central region, activists FIP-SP did ‘easels’ against the electoral farce. A Network of Communities of the Far South of São Paulo has released photos of murals with snippets of popular songs against politicians who appear every two years to ask for votes and disappear after the elections, one AND graced the cover of its latest issue. On September 15, was the shared image of a graffiti occupation Garden Union with the warning ‘free Territory of politicians’.
In Ribeirão Preto, in the state, the Committee to Boycott Election Farce was added to the campaign and made intensive propaganda activity, even gaining impact in the local press. A new ‘Act Against Electoral Farce and Suppression by the state’ was scheduled for 23/9 with a concentration in Rider Square in the capital. The agenda against repression was included due to the events of September 16 when the PM attacked hundreds of families who occupied a building on Avenida São João.
BOYCOTT NATIONWIDE
In Brasilia, the militant Popular Revolutionary Student Movement (MEPR) sent pictures of graffiti on the streets of the federal capital. Already in Belo Horizonte (MG), activists of that movement were a flurry at the entrance of the cafeteria UFMG on September 10, when the private security guards tried to stop and took the megaphone to the strength of the students. Promptly, the people who saw the fact were providing support. The guards returned the megaphone, but continued coercing activists.
On 18/9, the MEPR held a debate with the theme ‘Vote: yes or no?’ the Faculty of Education at UFMG. The Committee to Combat Electoral Farce and the metropolitan region of Recife, Pernambuco was created, the Collective bagasse and the Independent Popular Front (FIP Praieira) did graffiti and pamphlets. In Camaçari, Bahia, Block ‘Re-Existence’ also made an act in 7/9.
(Rough translation from Nova Democracia) — from Signalfire
Frontlines of Revolutionary Struggle 