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This week saw the mass eviction of thousands of families residing in favelas (slums) in the Pinheirinho district of São José dos Campos, São Paulo state.  Behind a smokescreen of bringing “security” as a result of the resistance, the heavy handedness of Brazil’s military police was well documented and can be viewed all over news sites and YouTube with residents being forcibly removed using tear gas bombs and rubber bullets in addition to regular beatings, police brutality and little opportunity to collect belongings prior to the swift commencement of demolitions – leaving huge senses of loss, irrationality and injustice.

Located 87 km from São Paulo city on a plot of land of 1 million square metres (valued at R$ 84 million), since 2004 the favela’s population has grown from 1,600 to an estimated 7,000.  The event was a result of the land foreclosure and bankruptcy of Selecta S/A, owned by Naji Nahas – a Lebanese businessman often referred to as a “mega-speculator” who arrived in Brazil during the 1970s building companies, small scale lending institutions, an insurance brokerage amongst other activities and now owing over R$ 16 million in unpaid tax debts.

Commentators have referred to the events as an example of the wide inequalities Brazil, a country run by an elite who largely place their wealth in land – implicitly supported by socio-political double standards.  Cláudio Mota of the Vermelho website pointed to how upper-class economic groups regularly breach regulations related to the ownership of public land and legal processes often taking many years without any effective results – this is contrasted with Pinheirinho which saw helicopters, 2,000 riot police, 200 cars, 100 horses and 40 dogs to “resolve” the issue.

Whilst Dilma Rousseff, this week at the World Social Forum, condemned the behaviour of the authorities as “barbaric”, nothing was discussed with regards to who should be held responsible nor what needs to be undertaken at a policy level moving forward.  On the basis of discussions with São Paulo Governor Gerald Alckmin, Housing Secretary Ines Magalhães , Human Rights Secretary Paulo Maldos and the Cities Ministry technical specialists, up to R$ 500 will be given to ex- Pinheirinho residents – a subsidy that will have a 6 month duration, but can be renewed until the families receive a definitive housing solution.  Alckmin also announced on Thursday 26^th January: “we are going to accelerate the construction of housing units in São José dos Campos – with families having secure accommodation, in accordance with municipal legislation and title ownership.”  Yet, it has since been reported that in the eight years that the favela community has been established, not one cohesive housing programme has been presented and it is only now that international attention has been attracted that potential solutions are being discussed.

With a housing waiting list stated at 11,000 units, an initial target of 1,100 units has been aimed to be delivered in eighteen months time under the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (“My House, My Life”) lease to own programme.  However, the slow pace of initial progress on these units, a very poor track record, no definitive plans of action and a lack of solutions for the thousands of others who have effectively been left stranded is placing serious doubts on what will happen next.