The people know that governments are now using these droughts to facilitate their own prejudice against the poor to benefit the rich. Such is the case in Sao Paulo where 15 thousand protesters took to the streets at the meeting point in Largo da Batata to the arrival at Bandeirantes Palace, in Morumbi neighborhood which is the official residence of the governor Geraldo Alckmin .
Sabesp (Sao Paulo’s water management company) has been turning off the supply every day between 1pm and 7 am recently, leaving many in poorer areas without water. São Paulo and Sabesp are now being held responsible for the crisis and are being asked to reduce the impact of the crisis on the poorest population in lieu of increasing water rates scheduled to take effect this April (with no rain being forecast.) These rates further strap the poor while benefitting the wealthy.
This is the same scenario we always see where the wealthy are provided with what they need at the expense of the poor. Residents of the Eastern part of Sao Paulo usually have to worry about flooding- but now that Southeastern Brazil has been hit with the worst drought in eighty years, this is now becoming the nightmare they dreaded.
This protest ended with no violence, but that may not be the case should this drought/water crisis continue:
"I pay ... but I shouldn’t... Because water is not a commodity" was one of the slogans yelled by the marching crowd, which also included a water truck as a “parade float”, carefully escorted by heavily armed military police officers. "That's what will happen with the deepening crisis. Police will “guard” the water for those who can pay for it, while we die of thirst. We are here to show that we will not accept it", said protester Reginaldo Silva, a resident of the MTST occupation People's Cup (An occupation started at the onset of the Soccer World Cup in Sao Paulo in 2014."
This world we have made where money is the sole barometer of your worth as a human being can no longer be sustained, especially in the wake of climate change. If the international community and the UN care so much for climate solutions, where are they now? Climate change is not something that will happen, it is happening now and it is already effecting the poor of our world.
Also see:
Quirky Winds Fuel Brazil's Devastating Drought, Amazon's Flooding
Sao Paulo Running Out Of Water As Rain Making Amazon Vanishes
Brazil Drought Crisis Leads To Rationing And Tensions
Bolivia/Britain-A Tale Of Two Floods
Effects Of Arctic Amplification Being Ignored
(Citations for photos used at link to article.)
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