Slave labor persists in Brazil 124 years after abolition
Sunday, May 13th, 2012
((Carta Maior photo))
[Translation of an article from Carta Maior for May 13. See original here.]
By Najla Passos
Brasilia – On the 124th anniversary of the Lei Áurea [the "Golden Law" of May 13, 1888, that abolished slavery in Brazil], the commemoration has lost its splendor. Once again, the Chamber of Deputies has postponed a vote on the Proposta de Emenda Constitucional (PEC – Proposal to Amend the Constitution) No. 438, the so-called Slave Labor PEC, which has been in the works in the house for 11 years. The intense mobilization of civil society, the efforts of the administration and the commitment of the more progressive parliamentarians were not enough. It was the ruralista caucus [legislators representing the interests of large landowners], which holds the majority of votes in the house, which had the last word, following the example of what happened with the new Código Florestal [Forest Code]. (more…)