Latinnews Daily - 14 April 2004

The leader of the Rural Democratic Union (UDR), Luiz Antônio Nabhan Garcia, yesterday accused the government of going along with the invasion of productive farms promoted by the landless movement (MST). Garcia, who was testifying in Brasí­lia at the parliamentary commission on land reform, said rural producers are living 'in a state of panic' since the MST stepped up land invasions at the beginning of April. At present, 102 farms have been invaded, 69 of those by the MST. Garcia demanded that the leader of the MST, João Pedro Stédile, be arrested.