Massive Demonstrations Oppose Bolsonaro Government's Cuts to Education Funding

São Paulo, May 15, 2019, at least 250,000 in the streets to protest education cuts.

On Wednesday, May 15 massive demonstrations took place all over Brazil against the funding cuts to higher as well as basic education announced by the government of President Jair Bolsonaro on April 30. News reports indicate that demonstrations -- part of what was billed as the Education Tsunami (#TsunamiDaEducação) -- were held in 27 states of the Republic and in almost 200 cities. Attendance nationwide is estimated to have totaled anywhere from one to two million. In São Paulo and Belo Horizante at least 250,000 people are said to have marched, along with 200,000 in Rio de Janeiro and 100,000 in Fortaleza. Classes were suspended at federal universities and colleges around the country for the day.

The demonstrations were organized by the National Union of Students (UNE) and the Brazilian Union of Secondary Students (Ubes), along with teachers, education workers, the association of deans, trade unions, and other movements. Marianna Dias, president of the UNE, said May 15 was a "historic day" and a "victory" that will be remembered as "one of the biggest demonstrations" in Brazil's recent history, Brasil de Fato reported.

Government's Attacks on Public Education

On April 30, Brazil's Education Minister announced budget cuts to all levels of public education, saying 30 per cent of federally-funded universities' budgets for so-called discretionary spending would be cut, which covers such things as cleaning and security services, construction and equipment, as well as water, electricity, phone and internet. Spending considered mandatory is protected from cuts by legislation.

A survey done by Brazil's National Association of Directors of Federal Higher Education Institutions shows that half of the country's federal universities will actually suffer cuts higher than 30 per cent. At least two are slated for cuts of over 50 per cent and others almost 50 per cent the survey showed.

"You will not shut us up!"

Responding to the widespread opposition the cuts gave rise to, the Education Minister tried to backtrack, saying they were not cuts, just "contingencies" as part of the government's austerity plan. All the funding could be reinstated, he said, if the economy registered any growth. Many have denounced this as attempted blackmail to gain support for the government's regressive agenda.

In addition to denouncing the education cuts, those who marched on May 15 protested the theft of workers' pensions that will result if Bolsonaro's neo-liberal pension reform is passed. He and his U.S.-trained economy minister Paulo Guedes are desperate to get it approved in the Congress, something they have so far not accomplished, prompting Guedes to threaten that he will pack up and leave the country should the reforms be watered down. Another demand of the demonstrators was that former President Lula, who continues to be held as a political prisoner, be freed.

Showing his contempt for the masses of Brazilian youth who were in the streets all over the country defending their right to education, Bolsonaro said: "The majority are militants. If you ask them what's the formula for water, they don't know. They are a bunch of useful idiots, a bunch of morons who are being used as pawns by a minority of smartasses who constitute the core of many federal universities in Brazil."

The same day, in another act of retaliation, Bolsonaro issued a decree giving his administration new powers to control the selection of senior administrators at public universities -- who are currently appointed or elected by their academic communities -- doing away with a longstanding tradition of autonomy enjoyed by universities. The decree, which takes effect July 25, establishes that the university president, or their delegates, have the authority to appoint the deans and presidents at these institutions. It also provides for the Brazilian Intelligence Agency to participate in investigating the background of candidates. Since anyone who has been involved in illegal activities is already prohibited under existing legislation from serving in an academic post, concern is being expressed that such things as candidates' political involvement and their membership in social movements and unions will now be probed. Bolsonaro is already on the record as considering such things as sociology and philosophy "communist" and fair game for defunding.

New Demonstrations Called for May 30

Feirade de Santana

Based on the massive response to their call for the May 15 demonstrations, the same student unions, joined by the National Association of Graduate Students (ANPG) have called for a Second National Day in Defence of Education on May 30. The central demand will once again be to reject the cuts to funding for public education. The president of UNE said the students' struggle has just begun and will continue until they get the cuts reversed.

Brasil de Fato reports that Matias Cardomingo, a master's student in economics and the coordinator of the Association of Graduate Students of the University of São Paulo explained that researchers will hold a number of activities in the coming weeks to invigorate "the relationship between the academy and society," by means other than just demonstrations. He said building links in defence of public education and making people aware of contributions made by the country's public universities is important in view of their being targeted both financially and politically by the government.

Porto Alegre

Florianopolis

Curitiba

Rio De Janeiro

Belo Horizonte

Porto Velho

Recife

João Pessoa

São Luis

Fortaleza

Belém

Chapecó

Maranhao

(Brasil de Fato, teleSUR, Brasil Wire, Vermelho, Eyes on Latin America. Photos: Brasil de Fato, UBES, Latuff, R. Lima, G. Prates, M. Cabral, Amorin, C. Garcia)

This article was published in

Volume 49 Number 19 - May 25, 2019