Prestes Maia
Encyclopedia
The Prestes Maia, was the largest squatted
highrise building on the South America
n continent. Originally, 468 families, united through the Downtown Roofless Movement (Movimento Sem Teto do Centro or MSTC) of São Paulo
, lived in the 22-storey highrise since 2002.
The building had been closed and left in a rundown condition for years, serving as shelter for rats and cockroaches, as is the case of many buildings in downtown São Paulo. The new residents cleaned out tonnes of rubbish and litter (200 trucks to be exact), organized it, expelled drugs and other criminal bosses, turning it into an exciting and lively human dwelling. It contained a free library, workshops, and hosted autonomous educational, social and other cultural activities. In the last few years of the squat it was a major laboratory of experiments in organizing a real human renewal of downtown São Paulo. People of all ages and upbringings, of all Brazilian states and other nationalities, including artists and students, all worked together to create a new understanding of how the city should and can work. The families comprised more than 1600 previously homeless people, including children, elderly and disabled.
The building was to be returned to its legal owner, who in the previous 15 years had accumulated a debt in municipal taxes of some 5.5 million reais (approx. 2.2 million U.S. dollars / 1.4 million euros), which is close to the amount the building is worth (near 7 million reais).
On January 27 2006, representatives met with the police authorities in charge of the forthcoming eviction
. During the meeting, it was made clear that the eviction would take place somewhere between the 15th and 21st of February (an exact date was not given for 'strategic' reasons). The families were advised to leave the precinct
before the eviction to avoid unpleasant encounters, and when they asked where they were supposed to go, the answer was: 'to the streets or elsewhere'.
On February 7, the residents of Prestes Maia’s building staged a street blockade for almost 2 hours to draw attention to their plight.
On February 13/14th, about 200 people congregated at Prestes Maia anxious for the news and information. They were told that repossession of ownership had been postponed for an indeterminate period. The residents celebrated and thanked the support of the groups, individuals, lawyers and others who had helped the campaign.
The residents succeeded in gaining some concessions for relocation from the government, such as financial aid for rental and credit plans.
A gradual removal of the residents to other locations
in downtown Sao Paulo was undertaken, with varying degrees of government promises and assistance, and since July 2007 the building has been closed.
At October 2008 the building is still closed and barricaded with concrete blocks.
Even though the Prestes Maia building is still unused, it has become a symbol of struggle and victory for many Brazilians, showing the power of humble people who stood up for their rights and resisted entrenched financial and government power.
The Magic Carriage Hero (O Herói da Carruagem Mágica) – Independent ‘Cordel’-documentary that tells the story of the creators of Prestes Maia Community Library. By Philippe Bertrand. 15 min. Brazil 2007.
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
highrise building on the South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n continent. Originally, 468 families, united through the Downtown Roofless Movement (Movimento Sem Teto do Centro or MSTC) of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, lived in the 22-storey highrise since 2002.
The building had been closed and left in a rundown condition for years, serving as shelter for rats and cockroaches, as is the case of many buildings in downtown São Paulo. The new residents cleaned out tonnes of rubbish and litter (200 trucks to be exact), organized it, expelled drugs and other criminal bosses, turning it into an exciting and lively human dwelling. It contained a free library, workshops, and hosted autonomous educational, social and other cultural activities. In the last few years of the squat it was a major laboratory of experiments in organizing a real human renewal of downtown São Paulo. People of all ages and upbringings, of all Brazilian states and other nationalities, including artists and students, all worked together to create a new understanding of how the city should and can work. The families comprised more than 1600 previously homeless people, including children, elderly and disabled.
The building was to be returned to its legal owner, who in the previous 15 years had accumulated a debt in municipal taxes of some 5.5 million reais (approx. 2.2 million U.S. dollars / 1.4 million euros), which is close to the amount the building is worth (near 7 million reais).
On January 27 2006, representatives met with the police authorities in charge of the forthcoming eviction
Eviction
How you doing???? Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, eviction may also be known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, summary dispossess, forcible detainer, ejectment, and repossession, among other terms...
. During the meeting, it was made clear that the eviction would take place somewhere between the 15th and 21st of February (an exact date was not given for 'strategic' reasons). The families were advised to leave the precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
before the eviction to avoid unpleasant encounters, and when they asked where they were supposed to go, the answer was: 'to the streets or elsewhere'.
On February 7, the residents of Prestes Maia’s building staged a street blockade for almost 2 hours to draw attention to their plight.
On February 13/14th, about 200 people congregated at Prestes Maia anxious for the news and information. They were told that repossession of ownership had been postponed for an indeterminate period. The residents celebrated and thanked the support of the groups, individuals, lawyers and others who had helped the campaign.
The residents succeeded in gaining some concessions for relocation from the government, such as financial aid for rental and credit plans.
A gradual removal of the residents to other locations
in downtown Sao Paulo was undertaken, with varying degrees of government promises and assistance, and since July 2007 the building has been closed.
At October 2008 the building is still closed and barricaded with concrete blocks.
Even though the Prestes Maia building is still unused, it has become a symbol of struggle and victory for many Brazilians, showing the power of humble people who stood up for their rights and resisted entrenched financial and government power.
Films
Prestes Maia - freedom in concrete. Documentary by Levin Peter, Jonas Ginter, Marla Fee Wilke. 52 min, in coproduction with ZDF/arte. A production of gebrueder beetz filmproduktion (www.gebrueder-beetz.de). Germany 2008.The Magic Carriage Hero (O Herói da Carruagem Mágica) – Independent ‘Cordel’-documentary that tells the story of the creators of Prestes Maia Community Library. By Philippe Bertrand. 15 min. Brazil 2007.