THOUSANDS OF BRAZILIANS PROTEST THE DISSOLUTION OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE

Throughout Brazil thousands of activists, including visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, producers, actors, dancers, and members of cultural organizations, united to protest the recent interim president’s decision to eliminate the country’s Ministry of Culture, Elisa Wouk Almino of Hyperallergic reports.

On Monday, hundreds occupied the building that housed the Ministry of Culture in Rio de Janeiro. On Tuesday, at least five hundred protesters congregated at São Paulo’s Teatro Oficina, a theater known as a symbol of resistance during the twenty-year military dictatorship, which ended in 1985. On Wednesday, thousands of Brazilians congregated at eleven regional capitals throughout the country.

The ministry supports cultural spaces and funds classes, residencies, scholarships, and research. Brazilian poet Ferreira Gullar said, “The existence of this ministry made possible the creation of a series of cultural programs that to this day activate Brazilian life.” The ministry’s responsibilities now fall under the Ministry of Education.

Vice president Michel Temer abolished the ministry in an attempt to reduce the number of ministries from thirty-two to twenty-three. He became interim president last week after president Dilma Rouseff was suspended. Rouseff is accused of illegally manipulating the state’s finances and now faces impeachment. Whether Temer assumes her position depends on the outcome of her upcoming trial.