Brazil is currently experiencing the largest demonstrations seen in the country for over 20 years. Today it has been estimated that 200,000 Brazilians have been protesting in eleven cities across the country, with the demonstration in Rio de Janeiro attracting 100,000 people

São Paulo: 3.20 reais; Recife: R$3.45; Porto Alegre R$3.05; Goiânia: R$3.00; Curitiba: $2.85; Rio de Janeiro: R$ 2.95. These prices are just a sample of the new bus fares which have increased all over Brazil in the first half of 2013. They have aroused indignation in thousands of public transport users. But in the context of global crisis and popular resistance in many countries, is the anger reflected in the demonstrations only related to public transport?

On Sunday October 7 municipal elections were held in Brazil. While the second round still has not taken place, the Workers Party (PT) would have won this election but reducing its overall vote compared to the 2008 municipal elections. The Esquerda Marxista, Marxist Left of the PT, has participated in the electoral battle fielding candidates in some cities, large and small. Our candidates were workers, trade unionists and youth united by the same battle: to reclaim the PT to its name and its founding principles: to represent the class independence of the proletariat in the struggle against capitalism.

The Flasko factory which has been occupied and run under workers’ control for the past eight years needs your help. We are publishing a manifesto produced by the workers of the factory that we ask you to sign your name to. Please take part in the solidarity campaign and spread the word.

In the elections in Brazil on Sunday [October 3, 2010] the PT, the Workers’ Party, won more seats in the Senate, and also increased its Members of Parliament. However, Dilma Rousseff, (the candidate of the PT for President) narrowly failed to win in the first round. How do we explain this?

Last Thursday, July 1, Judge André Gonçalves Fernandes, of the 2nd Civil Court of Sumaré, declared Flaskô bankrupt. This is a serious attack on the workers of Flaskô, which effectively may result in the plant's closure. We call on our contacts and supporters, activists from various social struggles and political currents, to be on the alert for any emergency.

A summary of the speech by the National Coordinator of the Black Socialist Movement and leader of the Marxist Left [Esquerda Marxist] of the PT, José Carlos Miranda, during the Public Hearing of the Brazilian Supreme Court about racial quotas held on 5 March 2010, and videos of original speech in Portuguese.

Flaskô is the last surviving factory of the Occupied Factories Movement of Brazil, after the heavy police intervention put an end to the almost five-year occupation at Cipla and Interfibra. The workforce has been demanding that the Lula government nationalises the plant, but with no serious reply. But recently Lula took up the question in the press. Here is the reply of the Flaskô workers.

The Marxist Left (Esquerda Marxista) stood in the internal elections of the PT winning a sizeable vote and a position on the national leadership. This represent the willingness of thousands and thousands of workers in the ranks of the party to break with the bourgeoisie and fight for the ideas of genuine socialism.

The Marxist Left of the PT (Esquerda Marxista) stood in the PT’s internal elections, winning a sizeable vote, much increased on previous elections, winning a position on the national leadership and taking the ideas of revolutionary socialism to every corner of the party.

Comrade Serge Goulart is one of 6 candidates for national president of the Brazilian PT (Workers’ Party) which will contest the party’s internal elections (PED) on November 22. The “Turn left, back to socialism!” list is standing him as a candidate and asking for your support to bring their ideas to the party as a whole.