LAI and LCP banners wave in 1st of May Demonstrations in Brazil
We share som actions that took place on the 1st of May, 2025 all over Brazil which are published by A Nova Democracia.
Belo Horizonte
On 1st of May, hundreds of students, workers, peasants, and activists marched through the main avenues of Belo Horizonte, joining global mobilizations. The protest began at Praça Sete, where demonstrators demanded an end to the 6×1 work schedule and a reduction in working hours. Outraged by working conditions and the rising cost of living, they called for the revocation of the fiscal framework and labor and pension reforms, as well as defending the Agrarian Revolution and a national general strike of resistance.
Numerous Palestinian flags were displayed in support of the Palestinian Resistance, highlighting the participation of the Committee of Solidarity of Minas with the Palestinian People and the flags from the Anti-Imperialist League (LAI) and the League of Poor Peasants (LCP). Various movements promoted the struggle of the masses, and a representative of the Workers’ League emphasized the importance of 1st of May and unity in the anti-imperialist struggle. During the demonstration, some masked individuals set fire to flags of the U.S. and Israel as a symbol of their rejection. A manifesto was also distributed, calling for a political event on May 27th in Rio de Janeiro.
Recife
Workers, peasants, students, and activists from various organizations came together in the streets of Recife on 1st of May. The demonstration demanded an end to the 6×1 work schedule and police violence, while also expressing solidarity with the Palestinian Resistance and the Agrarian Revolution in the country.
The protesters marched through the main avenues of the city. Activists from the Committee in Support of the Struggle of the Barro Branco Squatters highlighted the importance of the struggle and condemned the crimes committed by big landlords and paramilitaries: “These big landlords and goons try to repress the peasant masses, but they have accumulated defeats… The people’s revolt is right, and the peasants advance with the destruction of the latifundium under the banner of the Agrarian Revolution with unbreakable firmness.”
Leaflets from the Anti-Imperialist League (LAI) were spread, calling for the strengthening of the struggle against imperialism, and a large banner with the slogan “Anti-imperialists of the world, unite!” caught attention. Students from combative organizations were also present, shouting slogans in support of the Palestinian struggle and against the 6×1 work schedule. Brigade members and a local correspondent from AND were on hand, selling copies of the newspaper to attendees.
Río de Janeiro
On 1st of May, activists from the Workers’ League carried out a series of activities at the Central do Brasil train station. Through political agitation, they recalled the past struggles of the working class, denounced electoral opportunism, and highlighted the exploitation faced by Brazilian workers.
The activists distributed 1,000 leaflets with the slogan “Down with the 6×1 scale! For the immediate implementation of 40-hour workweeks without salary reduction and a progressive schedule to reduce to 36-hour workweeks!”
Manaus
A demonstration in Manaus focused on Avenue 7 de Setembro, where participants interrupted traffic and called on merchants to join the struggle. Júlio, from the Movement of Struggle of Independent Workers, emphasized that today is not a day of celebration, but a day of struggle for the working class. The demonstrators denounced the 6×1 work schedule and celebrated recent strikes. They also addressed police violence in the case of Luiz Omar, a 15-year-old boy who went missing, pointing out that goons are behind his disappearance. A leader from the MLTI expressed solidarity with the League of Poor Peasants (LCP) in Brazil, who are facing attacks from the Military Police alongside goons.
Porto Alegre
On 1st of May, workers in Porto Alegre held an event to demand an end to the 6×1 scale and support the strike of employees at Zaffari, the largest supermarket chain in the State, known for exploiting its workers. The demonstration began at the stone bridge and marched toward a Zaffari unit, where they attempted to rally their colleagues to join the strike. However, the manager and representatives of the Commercial Workers’ Union of Porto Alegre (Sindec-POA) tried to prevent workers from joining. In response, the demonstrators presented an audio revealing Zaffari’s influence over the union. Despite attempts to sabotage the protest, workers continued their agitation at another Zaffari unit. The strike aims to end long working hours and abuses by employers, while the Sindec-POA attempted to discredit the mobilization, which was rejected by the workers.
You can also read the actions done in São Paulo in a previous article:
