Carnival's Potential Cancellation Draws Brazil's Archbishop to Mediate Police Strike
With the Brazilian festival, Carnival, less than two weeks away there are growing concerns that the annual celebration might have to be canceled if security forces around the country go on strike.
On Jan. 31 nearly one-third of the 30,000 police officers in the northeastern state of Salvador started a strike in protest of their low wages. Some of the strikers and their families are barricaded in a legislative building in Salvador, according to the state government.
Shortly after the strike began around 1,000 troops of Brazil's military entered the region and surrounded the strikers in the Bahia state assembly, in Salvador. Troops also patrolled the streets as crime in the city of 2.7 million has dramatically increased during the past week.
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There have been over 100 people killed since the strike began and reports of crimes including robbery, looting and murder have all spiked with residents fearful to leave their houses.
Government and police officials are concerned that the strikes will spread throughout the country, including in Rio, where Carnival takes place.
In an effort to ease tensions and to bring this matter to a close Archbishop Murilo Krieger of Salvador was brought in to mediate the situation. While the talks between the two parties were helpful they have yet to resolve the situation.
In Bahia, strikers did focus their demands to include amnesty for the police officers that walked out and an increase in pay of $350, which would bring the total monthly salary for officers to about $1,200 depending on rank and experience.
Government officials said they would not grant amnesty to those who participated in the strike. In Rio, the entry-level salary for police officers is about $661 per month.
But while officials try to come to settle the dispute with the ones on strike time might be their biggest obstacle.
Carnival is set to begin on Feb. 19, but serious concerns regarding security as well as economic implications are weighing heavily on the minds of local officials.
Pedro Galvao, head of the state's travel agents association understands the very real consequences that are possible. "It's very disconcerting…tourism is very sensitive to these things," he said.
The Brazilian Association of Tourism Agencies claimed that 10 percent of tourists who were planning to attend the festivities have already canceled their reservations, according to AP.
The state's governor, Sergio Cabral, had a more optimistic outlook and was confident that police outside of Salvador would not strike.
"When they enter into these professions, they know they are doing an essential job," he said. "I have no doubt we will guarantee safety during Carnival and also in the day-to-day."
Meetings between the two parties are expected to take place on Thursday.
