MST may invade RS farm again after recovery

Members of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) are camped this Wednesday (4) in front of the entrance to the Cabanha Santa Angélica, in Pedras Altas, in Rio Grande do Sul.

On Tuesday (3), MST groups invaded this property and another in the same region, but peacefully abandoned the two farms at the end of the afternoon, following the instructions of the state’s Public Security Secretariat.

“They just left the field, but they are still camped in front of the resort gate,” said Santa Angélica owner Ramiro Costa. According to him, tension in the area is increasing, even with members of the Military Brigade protecting the farm.

Costa claims that the MST “gave the false impression that they had given in,” which led to the demobilization of producers and authorities who had gone to the site to help the owner.

“We need to continue mobilizing because, in addition to not leaving, they will return to the field or even invade the headquarters,” believes Costa.

“We will not accept any type of invasion, looting and lack of respect for private property,” says the president of the Rural Union of Pedras Altas, Carlos Hofmeister. “We are in full harvest, but we had to stop work during planting time to defend these properties.”

Founded in 1870, Cabanha Santa Angélica is a property with an agricultural tradition. The farm grows rice, soybeans and corn, as well as Creole horses, Hereford and Braford cattle, Romney Marsh sheep and dairy cattle.

The other property invaded in the region, from which the MST was also evicted, is the Fazenda Nova, a producer of cereals and cattle, on the border of Hulha Negra and Pedras Altas.