Sign the Petition Against the Appointment of Katia Abreu to the Cabinet of [President] Dilma [Rousseff]

The Brazil Rainforest Movement launched an internet petition against the appointment of Senator Katia Abreu (PSD - TO) for the agriculture ministry of President Dilma Rousseff.

"The appointment of Katia Abreu would represent another step toward the interests of landowners and multinational agribusiness. If this action is confirmed it would be construed by us as a sign of definitive break of the federal government with sustainable development," says the petition.

Click here to sign the petition *

The press has reported that the senator is favored by the Presidential Palace for a possible cabinet reshuffle in 2013.

Katia Abreu leads the ruralista bloc [Ed. The congressional block of large landowners and agri-business] in Congress and is chairman of the CNA (National Confederation of Agriculture), the country's leading ruralista association. In 2012 the Senator was among the chief organizers of the changes in the new Forest Code that gave loggers amnesty and encourages deforestation.

She has received the Golden Chainsaw award, from Greenpeace, symbol of her tireless struggle for the shattering of the law protecting the country's forests.

Katia Abreu has been the subject of a civil action in court by prosecutors in Tocantins for disobeying the old Forest Code, disregarding indigenous people and violating the constitution. Her son, Rep. Irajá Abreu (PSD - TO), is the head of the farm in alliance of Tocantins, which received two seizures for environmental damage: to a legal reserve by deforestation and another for withdrawal of APP {Ed. Application of Precautionary Procedure, a judicial concept which forces governments to take into account environmental risks], totaling 75 hectares of loss of native forest.

Brazil Through the Forest is a nonpartisan movement that arises as a societal demand for the need for conservation of what remains of forests and biodiversity in the country.

"Do you know Katie Abreu of the DEM [Democratas (DEM) is a center right party, considered to be the main party in the right-wing spectrum]???"

"And how, my child, and how!!!"

*Petition Language:

President Dilma Rousseff repudiate the possibility of Senator Katia Abreu (PSD - TO) being appointed Minister in you administration. The appointment of Katia Abreu would represent another step toward the interests of the plantation and multinational agribusiness. If this action is confirmed it would be construed by us as a sign of definitive break of the federal government with sustainable development.