Minister awaits MST departure from Suzano areas tomorrow

The minister of Agrarian Development, Paulo Teixeira, told the CNN which awaits for this Tuesday (7) the departure of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) from Suzano’s properties. On Wednesday (8), a meeting is scheduled for negotiation between the movement and the company.

“Tomorrow we expect their departure. The negotiation will be on Wednesday. We are in dialogue for a negotiated solution,” Teixeira told CNN .

This Monday (6th), the company obtained the third injunction for the repossession of areas invaded by the MST in southern Bahia. Now the company already has court orders determining the evacuation of all invaded areas.

Today it was the turn of the area located in Caravelas. Last week, Justice had already determined the eviction of farms in Teixeira de Freitas and Mucuri.

So far, the Military Police, subordinated to the government of Bahia, has still not complied with the eviction orders. By law, the PM has about 15 days to act. Judge Cintia França Ribeiro determined a fine of R$ 1,000 per day per person participating in the occupation.

In an interview with CNN Walter Schalka, president of Suzano, said that “there is no dialogue with the MST until the properties are vacated”.

The MST complains about a 2011 agreement for the settlement of families in the company’s areas, which would not have been complied with. Suzano alleges that Incra did not carry out the clearings.

Brazilian legislation prohibits land invasions and only authorizes expropriations for land reform purposes in unproductive regions. The farms invaded by the MST are productive.

Suzano reports that it generates 7,000 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect ones in the south of Bahia.