Brazil prosecutor-general: Crisis affecting fundamental rights

Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Raque Dodge said Tuesday (May 29) that the work stoppages staged by truck drivers do not lead to a fuel crisis only, but have started to “make an impact on fundamental rights in the country.”

Dodge announced the creation of a committee linked to the Federal Prosecution Service to address the aftermath of the strike. Prosecutors are “on the lookout” for those who attempt to dishonestly benefit from problems arising from the protests.

“Of course, there’s the right to strike, the right to protest and to make demands, but there’s also the responsibility for taking advantage of the situation, which can lead to individuals, the public, and society being harmed, especially with regards to public services,” Dodge argued.

Dodge, however, did not say whether measures have been taken to hold anyone accountable. She noted that efforts have focused on identifying cargoes with hospital supplies to have security forces escort them safely to their destinations.

Raquel Dodge also ordered prosecutors to work to make Justice Alexandre de Moraes’s ruling at the Supreme Court effective. Last Friday, he ordered the end of roadblocks, with offenders being fined $26.8 thousand per hour.