BRAZIL: Ongoing police strike in Bahia, in the northern region of Brazil, causes widespread unrest less than two weeks before Carnival starts

Record ID: 340732

  • Title: BRAZIL: Ongoing police strike in Bahia, in the northern region of Brazil, causes widespread unrest less than two weeks before Carnival starts
  • Date: 9th February 2012
  • Summary: GENERAL VIEW OF TOURIST DESTINATION FAROL DA BARRA VARIOUS OF STREET VENDOR ORIESVALDO MACEDO RIBBONS FOR GOOD LUCK (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) STREET VENDOR ORIESVALDO MACEDO, SAYING: "We are not selling these days because of the strike. People who arrive here from ships don't come out to the city. Half of them stay inside on the ship and this is ruining our business. Th
  • Embargoed: 24th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil, Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Police,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8ONGF7R6HK62EBH0Z8QHSS6K3
  • Story Text: An ongoing police strike in northern Brazil had local vendors and businesses concerned on Wednesday (February 8) as Carnival looms less than two weeks away.
    Members of the military police force continued to occupy the legislative assembly building while thousands of troops from the army and National Guard patrolled the streets of Salvador.
    About 20 percent of the Bahia state's police force - some 6,000 officers - went on strike on January 31, seeking a salary increase. Crime in Salvador has skyrocketed since, with local officials reporting at least 115 murders and widespread looting, assaults and vandalism in the past week.
    With Carnival celebrations less than two weeks away, the chaos was weighing heavily on local businesses. Salvador is known as a locus of Afro-Brazilian culture and is a popular tourist destination, but street vendor Oriesvaldo Macedo said the situation is affecting tourism.
    "We are not selling these days because of the strike. People who arrive here from ships don't come out to the city. Half of them stay inside on the ship and this is ruining our business. This strike needs to end; otherwise it will end our business and affect other local marketers," he said.
    A local hotel manager said the strike would hurt Carnival celebrations if it doesn't end soon.
    "If the strike continues we will have cancellations. This will be inconvenient to many hotels and to Bahia's Carnival in general," said Ivone Borges.
    However, some took a more optimistic view and said Carnival would go on as always.
    "We continue to receive customers and this won't affect our Carnival. There are only a few days left and the party will happen. We are ready for a happy and peaceful Carnival, as it always has been here at Salvador," said Mariana Nacimento, who runs a store that sells Carnival supplies.
    Negotiations continue, but so far there appears to be little movement towards an agreement.
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