First Anniversary of the Fierce Battle of Barro Branco
Featured image: Peasants and activists mobilized in Barro Branco, Jaqueira, facing the goons’ attack from 28th September, 2024.
50 armed goons of the gang “Invasão Zero” together with 14 pickup trucks and two excavators, attacked the occupying peasants of Barro Branco, Pernambuco on 28th September, 2024. The peasants organized their own self-defense and rejected the attack.
A Nova Democracia (AND) has recently published an article commemorating this important battle. The goons were part of the paramilitary gang “Invasão Zero”, well known for their role as spearhead of the latifundium against the struggle for land in Brazil. The hitmen were hired by the big landlord company Agropecuária Mata Sul Ltda., as reported by the residents in Barro Branco.
AND reports on the beginning of the battle: “The peasants reacted immediately and called the Brazilian Association of People’s Lawyers (Abrapo) to take action. A lawyer who accompanied the peasants showed the invaders a document that prohibited the presence of the goons in the region, but both the legal representative and the peasants were violently repelled by the mercenaries. One peasant even had their cell phone stolen by the goon and the lawyer was assaulted. The peasants re-organized, with the awareness that they have no other option than combat”.
Therefore, before the police and goon vehicles arrived, the peasants set up barricades, blocking several accesses to the occupied territory. Peasants, together with student activists, covered their faces and stayed firm facing the threats. The peasants blocked the main entry.
A few hours later, the vehicles of the Military Police arrived – pointing their rifles at the peasants, demanding that they abandon the struggle and threatening to detain them.
In the face of the peasants decision to not abandon the struggle, the Military Police decided to ask for reinforcements. Also, the goons tried to make another advance, again rejected by the burning barricades. Finally, the goons fled and shot against the peasants and activists, injuring two peasants and one student, and injuring themselves in the crossfire:
The peasants re-organized, focusing their forces in another place, where they reaffirmed the path of the struggle, and that this is only the beginning.
After hours of battle, the peasant’s victory was confirmed. AND analyzes the factors that prevented the destruction of the peasant property as follows: “The destruction was only prevented from going further due to the mobilization of the land occupiers supported by the League of the Poor Peasants (LCP), who managed to corner the mercenaries with two barricades on the only access road to the area. A fundamental addition to the resistance was the arrival of a commission of peasants from other areas and students from organizations such as Mangue Vermelho and Movimento Ventania to support the struggle.”
Last year we published and extensive report on the struggle that took place in the area:
The Popular Revolutionary Student Movement (MEPR) published a note regarding the role of the students and the youth in the battle:
A video on the battle was published at the beginning of this year:
The People’s Women’s Movement (MFP) of Brazil did a detailed report on the role of the women in this battle:
The harassment of the repressive forces of the old Brazilian State continued after the battle. The peasants have expelled the Military Police from their territory several times:
A Nova Democracia is the source of all images and videos used in this article.
