Central of Popular Movements: "Brazil is economically unprotected and socially abandoned"

247 - The coordinator of the Central of Popular Movements, Raimundo Bonfim, states that, given "the emergence of the coronavirus and its social, political, and economic consequences, the fragility of the current government's policies is even more exposed: Brazil is economically unprotected and socially abandoned."

"From the perspective of popular movements, Caixa Econômica Federal, a 100% public bank with a strong social character, has always played an important role in the operation of programs for the poorest population in the country. And, in this time of pandemic, it is also acting in a fundamental way to make the payment of emergency aid," he assesses in an interview with the National Federation of Associations of Caixa Econômica Federal Personnel (Fenae). 

"The problem is that the government, instead of putting the entire banking system to work on a task of such magnitude, is placing the burden of this responsibility solely on Caixa's shoulders," he states. "The lack of information, the system failures, and the concentration of emergency aid payments only in Caixa branches are harming bank employees and the population. The dynamics of this operation are the exclusive responsibility of the federal government."

Check out the full interview:

Brazil and the world are going through a serious crisis in the health, economic, political, and social areas. How does this situation affect the most vulnerable groups in the population?

Raimundo Bonfim – The most vulnerable group of people has more difficulty accessing healthcare and does not have sufficient income to support social isolation. Therefore, it is necessary for the State to provide this population with a basic income, protecting the jobs of those who are working.

To confront such a massive health, economic, and social crisis, it is necessary to suspend spending on interest and charges on the public debt and redirect resources to financing social security. An audit of the public debt is urgently needed!

The coronavirus has caused devastation like few others in recent human history. It has already resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, has negatively impacted the global economy, and is accelerating the worsening of living conditions for the population, especially the poorest segments of the population.

In Brazil, unlike other countries where governments are taking measures to combat the virus, investing in healthcare, implementing social isolation, and guaranteeing income and employment, the Bolsonaro government is reaffirming its cruelest side: attacking rights, increasing authoritarianism, contradicting recommendations from its own government, and disregarding life.

The current government's only concern is securing and maintaining its support base and serving the interests of financiers, even if it costs the lives of thousands of Brazilians. Through his actions and gestures, the president attempts to convey the false impression that he is against the political system.

It is urgently necessary to repeal Constitutional Amendment 95 in order to increase investments in public health and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS), tax large fortunes, and nationalize all production of hand sanitizer, masks, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure the health of all workers who cannot stop their activities, especially healthcare professionals.

Popular movements across the country also advocate for the restoration of the Family Health Program, with the resumption of the policy of expanding the primary care network, with an enlarged team and the return of the More Doctors program. We also consider it essential to produce and distribute school meals to all families who depend on this food, with the resumption of the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) and the guarantee of healthy food for children.

We also advocate for water and basic sanitation for all, with an end to privatizations in the sector. Our demand is for the expansion of water supply and sewage treatment to underserved areas of favelas and peripheries, considering that the right to water and sanitation is essential for tackling Covid-19.

The CMP launched the campaign “Popular Movements Against Covid-19”. What is the significance of this initiative?

Raimundo Bonfim – We are demanding that the State assume responsibility for addressing the crisis. The campaign “Popular Movements Against Covid-19”, launched by the Central of Popular Movements (CMP) on April 2nd, aims to collect and distribute food, as well as hygiene and cleaning products, to families in the most vulnerable groups. We are also promoting an online fundraising campaign, which can be accessed at [website address]. http://vaka.me/978192The purpose of this action is to help residents of areas with extreme poverty, high unemployment rates, and informal employment.

This is a class solidarity campaign, not charity, because, in addition to making donations, it also develops actions to organize and raise awareness among people, to strengthen popular and trade union movements in the fight for rights. It is solidarity, organization and struggle. That is the meaning of this initiative, organized by groups that work in favelas, occupied areas, with homeless people, street vendors and families living on the outskirts of large Brazilian cities.

To boost this wave of goodwill, the Central of Popular Movements, along with other entities of the urban popular movement, created a website to register and publicize solidarity points. Access is via the following web address: https://movimentoscontracovid19.com/This initiative is necessary given the slow pace and the lack of concrete and effective measures taken by governments, especially the federal government.  

What characterizes the performance of Caixa Econômica Federal in the current pandemic situation?

Raimundo Bonfim With the emergence of the coronavirus and its social, political, and economic consequences, the fragility of the current government's policies is even more exposed: Brazil is economically unprotected and socially abandoned.

From the perspective of popular movements, Caixa Econômica Federal, a 100% publicly owned bank with a strong social character, has always played an important role in implementing programs for the poorest population in the country. And, in this time of pandemic, it is also acting in a fundamental way to make the emergency aid payments.

The problem is that the government, instead of involving the entire banking system in a task of such magnitude, is placing the burden of this responsibility solely on Caixa Econômica Federal (a Brazilian state-owned bank). We advocate for strengthening the public bank. The lack of information, the system failures, and the concentration of emergency aid payments only in Caixa branches are harming bank employees and the population. The dynamics of this operation are the exclusive responsibility of the federal government.

In bank branches across the country, the volume of people has been very high, and hunger doesn't wait. We receive phone calls from people asking for information, and we explain that the problem is not Caixa's fault; it's an important instrument for economic and social development. It is therefore unacceptable for the government and the bank's management to leave people overnight for two or three days to receive the benefit.

We realized that many families are unable to resolve problems through apps, websites, or even by phone, and end up exposing themselves by going to Caixa (a Brazilian bank), overcrowding the branches and also putting bank employees at risk, in order to seek answers to simple questions that could be resolved with advertisements on television, which is the communication medium with the widest reach, especially among families in the outskirts of the city.

In this time of pandemic, if Caixa Econômica Federal had been privatized, as was the current government's wish, we would now be in a much more complicated situation, even though the bank's management model has reduced staff and devalued bank workers. We hope to soon reinstate housing programs for the entire Brazilian population, because the housing deficit in Brazil is very large.

A public, social, and strong Caixa (Brazilian state-owned bank) aligns with the central focus of the country's popular movements, which is public policies with popular participation.

And what role do public banks play at this critical moment for the country? 

Raimundo Bonfim – Public banks are the ones that possess the conditions, vocation, and mandate to help develop and support credit policies and promote economic and social development. This proves indispensable for the country, despite a government indifferent to the public interest, to confront the health, economic, and social crisis, and to resume social programs such as Minha Casa, Minha Vida (My House, My Life), among other initiatives.

How can popular movements unite with the labor movement in defending democracy and the right to the city?

Raimundo Bonfim – It is necessary to strengthen alliances that reinforce the Democratic Rule of Law, uniting around the campaign against the privatization of public banks and other state-owned companies. Together, the political forces that operate in the democratic and progressive field must formulate policies on urban mobility, sanitation, housing, and transportation.

It is also fundamental to advance the concept that the city is not a commodity, but a place to live with dignity and in a healthy way, including from the point of view of the environment and food security. 

How do you understand the future prospects for Brazilian society?

Raimundo Bonfim The expectation is that we will have the political and organizational conditions to build a country that resumes economic growth with the distribution of wealth and income, thus restoring democracy and the ongoing fight against social inequality.

The crisis caused by the coronavirus has shown, beyond any doubt, that capitalism, with its privatizing policies, is not the solution for humanity. Let's act now so that, in the future, Brazil will be a just, democratic, and sovereign society.

The organizations of the popular movements will continue to operate in the favelas, neighborhoods, and communities, engaging in dialogue with the working classes about the possibilities of transforming the reality we live in. Through the ongoing building of popular strength, articulated around a project for a sovereign and democratic country, we can resume the path towards the realization of rights, always striving for economic growth, job creation, wealth distribution, and social inclusion.