Days after being received by representatives of the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro, street vendors were surprised by an operation by the Public Order Department (Seop) that seized goods this Thursday (17) in the city center. In total, 555 street vendors are registered to work in the region.
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The United Movement of Street Vendors (Muca) says that the action goes against what was promised in a meeting, last Tuesday (15), with the secretary of the portfolio, Brenno Carnevale.
“On the occasion, Carnevale guaranteed that he would not withdraw the workers and also that he would provide authorization for those who were not yet allowed to work. Just 48 hours after the promise, the secretary ordered the removal of the street vendors and the seizure of the goods,” says Muca in a statement.
In a note to Brazil de factoSeop reported that traders were removed from the surroundings of the Central Building and the Carioca Metro Rio Station “for various reasons, such as lack of authorization to carry out the activity, material left on public roads and the absence of the license holder or assistant”.
Without specifying, the ministry said that some requests from street vendors were already under analysis and will be returned in a few weeks. And even though the “Walking in Harmony” program, implemented in four locations (Bonsucesso, Méier, Cacuaia/Ilha do Governador and Taquara), will be expanded in 2022. One of the objectives is to “harmonize public spaces between established commerce, pedestrians and the street vendors”.
In search of dialogue, the coordinator of Muca Maria dos Camelôs filed a letter with the city hall demanding a meeting with Eduardo Paes (PSD). The movement charges a series of promises made to the category during its electoral campaign.
“By ordering your truculent Municipal Guard to remove workers from the sidewalks, without creating alternatives, you are taking away the opportunity for a worker to guarantee the livelihood of his family”, wrote Maria to the mayor on social media.
The small and medium-sized materials seized by Seop are sent to Bonsucesso, in the North Zone. The large ones can be recovered in the Anil neighborhood, a place in the West Zone that is more than 17 km from the center of Rio.
Source: BdF Rio de Janeiro
Editing: Clívia Mesquita
