Brazilian Homeless Workers stop traffic in São Paulo

Members of the Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST) blocked Thursday (Apr. 28) a number of major roads in São Paulo city and also highways elsewhere in the state, adding up to 11 blockages.

The protests were staged against the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff. “Our goal is to say no to the coup and defend the right to housing,” argued Naidê Barreto, one of MTST's coordinators, who was in charge of the one-hour-long rally in the south of the city that slowed down traffic. According to the military police, despite the inconvenience caused to the population, the demonstrations were peaceful.

The lanes of Régis Betencourt, Anhanguera, and Anchieta highways, in the interior of the state, were also closed off in the morning and re-opened a while later.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira