Brazil's landless peasants to ease 'Red April' revolt

A radical Brazilian peasant movement said it will slow its "Red April" campaign of farm occupations to give President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a chance to deliver on promised reforms.

The Landless Workers Movement, launched its biggest wave of invasions in five years this month to force speedier expropriation and redistribution of unused farmland.

"We want to see the state carry out a "Red April" against big landowners," MST leader Joao Paulo Rodrigues said.

"We're confident the government will do it." The promised lull in invasions after nearly 100 in three weeks followed an appeal by Lula, Brazil's first working-class president, for the MST not to criminalise the 20-year-old movement by invading productive ranches.

Over the weekend the MST seized a ranch owned by Klabin, one of Brazil's biggest paper and pulp companies after occupying at least two other properties owned by big national or multinational firms.

Members of the Roofless Movement, which represents the urban poor, battled with police as they tried to invade buildings in industrial city Sao Paulo.

The moves brought an outcry from business groups and farmers who accuse Lula of letting leftist groups ride roughshod over the law, tarnishing Brazil's investment image.

"These are headless, absurd acts that cannot take place in a democratic country," said Leonardo Vilela, a dairy farmer from the central state of Goias and a lower house Congressional deputy for the right-wing Progress Party.

While trying to maintain the confidence of foreign investors in Brazil, Lula is also keen not be seen caving into powerful landowners and businesses after winning office on pledges to ease wealth inequalities and eradicate poverty.

He has seen his popularity fall in recent months after a bruising political campaign finance scandal and slow recovery from last year's 0.2 per cent economic contraction.

Lula also wants to prevent the rural revolt encouraging wider social unrest at a time when public workers want pay hikes and a big increase in the minimum wage.

The former metalworker has promised to settle 430,000 families during his tenure. He has only given farmland to around 48,000 families since he entered power in January 2003, according to the nation's land reform agency.

The MST's promise to wind down invasions followed Lula's pledge of extra funds to purchase and redistribute unused land and more than double welfare money for settled families.