TeleSUR Correspondent Brian Mier brings us the details of social movements in Rio de Janeiro that successfully pressured the government into converting an abandoned government building into ownership-based social housing. teleSUR
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro's rapidly gentrifying court district, a victory
00:06for a group of local housing rights activists has taken on national significance.
00:11Our correspondent Brian Muir has more.
00:15Nine years ago, a coalition of housing movements in Rio de Janeiro coordinated with hundreds
00:19of landless working class people to occupy an abandoned government social security building.
00:25This year they celebrate the occupation's anniversary knowing that they've successfully
00:29pressured the government to fulfill their constitutionally guaranteed right by transforming
00:34the building into ownership-based social housing.
00:40I've been involved in this process since the very beginning, long before we occupied the
00:44building.
00:45It started as a collaboration between three social movements, the CMP, the MLB, and the
00:51UNMP, who got together and kicked the door in so 28 families could live here.
00:58The Paulo Gianetti occupation is on the forefront of the battle against gentrification.
01:03Located in Rio's port district, which has been designated a special development zone
01:07for big real estate companies, it's surrounded by museums, art galleries, and new middle
01:13class housing developments, which have been forcing out the neighborhood's working class
01:17residents.
01:18Despite empty promises by the mayor's office, the occupation represents the only social
01:23housing initiative in the neighborhood.
01:25But it's not just about housing.
01:30We operate a soup kitchen for people who live on the street.
01:34We have a communications group.
01:37The landless rural workers movement supports us politically.
01:41So it's not just about housing.
01:43This occupation has organic death.
01:49As Brazil's city centers become ground zero for the fight against capitalist real estate
01:54speculation, housing rights activists across the country are celebrating the victory of
01:59the residents of Paulo Gianetti.
02:03Nine years of the Vito Gianotti occupation is an important date for all the social movements.
02:08Mainly because it's been nine years during which we've managed to achieve the regularization
02:12of the property.
02:13We are about to enter the phase of reforms which will guarantee dignified housing ownership
02:18for the 28 families living here.
02:20It's not just important for Rio de Janeiro.
02:22We are celebrating it nationally.
02:26Residents of the occupation are currently negotiating with a construction company to
02:29conduct the government-funded reforms.
02:32Brian Meir, TELUSUR, Rio de Janeiro.