country's military rulers though eager to present an ordered and 'democratic' face to the world, are in deep trouble. With the recession exacerbating an already foundering economy, the country which was once the showcase of capitalism in the third worid now has an annual inflation rate averaging 110 per cent, a foreign debt of $75,000m and a regime imposing even Creater than before on an angry working class.
in particular the 1980 metalworkers in Sao demonstrated the vulnerability of the dictatorship and the potential of the workers movement. Out of these struggles came the impetus for meeting unionists which decided to set up this year the country's first federation (the CUT). strike led to the setting up of the Workers Party (PT), stalinist workers party in the capitalist world.
ment conditions for legal recognition. At their head is the internationally known Luis Ignacio da Silva ('Lula'). With ten other union militants he was put on trial for inciting the 'illegal 1980 strike and condemned to three and a half years in prison although the sentence has not yet been carred out. Despite the contume tan threat ne is dery ing the government by standing as the election due to take place this year.
the elections in advance in favour of its own Social Democratic Party IDS) rules which electoral pacts. how quickly the PT develops and how it puts flesh on its vision of socialism. evolution with LUIS EDUARDO GREENHALGH, a member or the ri executive and the awver defer. ding Lula, and hears what happened when Lula met Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa.
How do you explain the rapid growth of the PT?
PT brings progressive trade ism and the popular movements here in Brazil period in. which most of the opposition had been destroyed by oppression. It's a party born out historical moment: the emergence populat movements and the need of the regime 1o impression of return to democracy.
PT leaders describe it as a sucianst party. kind of socialism is it?
Certainly ours is not a prepackaged imported socialism. The PT intends io learn from the many socialist that could be applicable to he Brazilian people.
PUS: the Nicaraguans structing a socialism based penience, so ward 12Kr wani wide movement WhEr all tendencies exaressed How do you shis Brazilian socialism ng built?
Waili gather together all sectore of the opposition the leadership of the working class. In this way we intend of the people and we are integrate struegles into this PT project.
Are there divisions in the PT between those who see it as a political party and those who view it as an opposition front!
That problem exists. But the majority think it must be a party and becoming stronger there is lesset atendency to regard it as a front. yet for the workers movement in Brazil. The and misery A series of land occupations and strikes — strike of 200,000 Bernardo have August of 5200 trade independent central And the metalworkers the largest non-social democratic nonAlready the PT has won 300,000 members across and has more than met difficult govern metalworkers leader PT's canThe regime meanwhile in an attempt to sew up has just announced new opposition parties from forming As political tension mounta much will depend on Kathy Kirkham discusses Is the PT prepared make amlances witn ine bourgeois apposition parties? will make alliances all parties and all groups, legal or illegal, that are against the government. But we will always maintain our in. dependence as a party.
The PT calls itself workers' party. Does it only defend workers or other oppressed groups in Brazil as well?
We represent workers in general and all oppressed montes such as women. blacks, Indians and gays.
estimate ike tortv percent. ! he ma prity of the leaders of the reminist Brazil beione to the PT We are trying to facilitate balik patten of men in the party. For e: amnl some of our cert are toiledine responsibility for the care of children of the women members who have to take part in meetings.
What channeis exist i the party for women to discuss and raise their demands?
Traditionally in the legal and illegal, the problems of women have beer discussed have no such department. though do have the different states) to help prOblems with the problems of the whole recognise that the nomen have specific problems but that doesn'i mean the: should have fight their own. The whole parIy must struggle for their demands. Women hard importance in the Pi not only because the party has them something that they have won.
As the lawyer who defended Lula and the ten other union leaders sentenced for inciting the 1980 metalworkers' strike, do you think are the political implications of the court case?
The government's purpose persecute the which it the most advanced sector opposition. But it won't do the regime any good because condemned people will go all over the country and make a campaign out of it. The Striking metalworkers. Inset, Luis Eduardo Greenhalgh (left) with Lula (centre). only way the government could really succeed would be to physically eliminate the leaders of the PT.
Could Lula still go to jail?
Personally, I believe that it would be very dangerous for the regime to imprison him. The fact that all the men are Still tree shows that the government is not strong enough to put them in prison. And in the eyes the people iney nave been victinuised so that if the government does jail them they will be martyrs.
Will Lula continue stand as governor Sao Paulo?
Of must demonstrate that the PT intends to break down any law or obstacle it may find in its way.
Does the PT see the government's package of conditions imposed on the opposition as a big setback?
This pacote is an arbitrary act of a government that intends guarantee own crection victory in adiThe restrictions afposition so they affect the lect all sectors of the We call on all other groups and parties struggle against the pacole popuiat mobilisations. That's the way to fight i - from the base with the people through an alliance of party leaders.
We think elections in Brazil are very important but ther damental for putting into Jallle the political project of the PT - that of building party workers.
What was the purpose of Lula's recent visit to Europe?
To tell European parties about the experiences urban and rural workers in Brazil and to inform them COvu our project building the PT Lula believes he was successful on both counts. A lot of Socialist Challenge that the Pi was realiv in. dependent.
Lula also had talks last summe Polish Solidarity leader, Lech Walesa at the Vatican. What happened at that meeting.
The meeting got ott to a tense start Walesa The thought Lula was making a mistake unionism with creating a political WalLY Luia replied that in the Brazilian situation the trade union struggle wa: insufficien carr: through a orocess of socia transformation that would benefit the workers For the Brazilian workine class to reach its obled lives it would need to make qualitative trade union to political aiand inals what ine PT was trying to do.
Lula observed that tempting to organise both politically and through the irade union movement, it hadn't yet been able underne the millar dictatorship in Braz Solidarity was 'only' rocked rade Polish the Polish Lula then went on io say that it seemed to him that the capitalist COUn tries, through their inter to use events in Poland fo their own ends. Soldarit! should be wary of being used by world imperialism which was out to discredit socialism.
After this tense begınn ing Lula and Walesa had a very good exchange of expeticines 14 January 1982
the fact that assembly work.
pay, the been helped their current problems lies in union leadership ag
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What percentage of PT Members are women? something