Traders make a motorcade for the reopening of establishments in Itabira; watch video

Itabira traders made a motorcade on Monday (5) in protest that called for the reopening of establishments and stores. It is estimated that about one hundred vehicles participated in the act. With the worsening of the Covid-19 pandemic, non-essential activities have been closed since March 8, when the city voluntarily joined the purple wave, the most restrictive phase of the Minas Consciente plan.

The concentration took place near the Virgílio José Gazire Exhibition Park, around 1 pm. The motorcade left towards the Center, passing through the neighborhoods of Gabiroba, Água Fresca, Caminho Novo and Esplanada da Estação. At 2 pm, the “honking” passed by the Itabira City Hall, without stops or agglomerations.

The motorcade was mobilized on social networks. The list of claims of the protest, released by WhatsApp, is not signed by a leader or entity, and mentions that the business community was taken by surprise at the time of the determination to close activities, almost a month ago.

“(…) Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 800 people have lost their jobs, formally and informally, according to information from businessmen. This month, many of the employees were left without a salary, and if we are not given the right to work, more than 1,000 workers may lose their bread in the next month ”, says the call for the protest.

The Chamber of Shopkeepers (CDL) of Itabira, which has expressed its opposition to the restrictions imposed by the city, said that it did not organize the motorcade. President Maurício Martins said, however, that the merchants’ feeling of concern is shared by the entity, which scheduled a meeting with affiliates for 4:30 pm on Monday. The intention is to sew a protocol for conscious opening of stores and pass it on to the municipal government.

Itabira City Hall has not yet commented on the movement.