In the spotlight: in Canada, truckers “ready to die” for their cause

Trucks block the streets of downtown Ottawa, Canada's capital, during the protest by truckers against the health measures put in place by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, February 8, 2022. © Dave Chan / AFP

Text by: Achim Lippold Follow

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In Canada, protests against health measures continue.

Some 400 heavy goods vehicles are still installed on Parliament Hill and under Justin Trudeau's offices, with no intention of leaving.

Truck drivers and their supporters want to hit the economy and cripple key trade routes like the Ambassador Bridge that connects Canada to the United States.

The North American press is beginning to worry about the economic consequences.

According to the

, the Canadian blockages have already affected trade between the two countries, knowing that a quarter of trade passes by land.

Automakers Ford, Toyota and Honda have already suspended or reduced operations at some of their factories in Canada.

Employees have been laid off, says the

.

A Ford spokeswoman called for an end to the lockdowns.

But for the moment, the police are reluctant to dislodge the demonstrators

, the Canadian newspaper

tells us .

Why ?

Because she is afraid of provoking violent reactions from truckers, some of whom say they are ready to " 

 " to defend their cause.

Federal authorities have stepped back and are content to observe the situation, adds the

.

The question is until when?

Because according to this newspaper, voices are rising within the economic sector, warning of the serious consequences that blockages could have for supply, security and employment.

The government must get more involved in resolving the crisis, says the

.

The protest movement does not intend to give up

Le Devoir

publishes a portrait of one of the coordinators of the demonstrations.

Her name is Joanie Pelchat, the newspaper calls her the “ 

 ”.

And for her, there is no question of leaving the federal capital as long as the vaccine proof of Quebec is not abandoned.

Joanie Pelchat, 39, does not sleep in a truck, she is lodged in a hotel, writes

, with her spouse, her one-year-old granddaughter and her dog Mika.

It was she who “ 

 ,” says

.

So far, she has been contacted by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party among others, but has not received any phone calls or text messages from any member of the government with the aim of starting talks.

She herself is not a truck driver, she holds a degree in international management.

Why did she put herself at the head of this movement?

To protest against the sanitary measures that she considers “ 

”, according to the Quebec newspaper.

Trial against former Bolivian President

Jeanine Añez

This Thursday begins the trial against Jeanine Añez, ex-interim president.

She is accused of leading a " 

 " in November 2019 against former head of state Evo Morales.

Justice prosecutes her for “ 

 ” and “ 

 ”.

This trial made national headlines.

“ 

 »

Here is the extract from a handwritten letter by Jeanine Añez, read by her city in front of the door of the prison where she has been imprisoned for eleven months.

It is to be read in the newspaper

, according to which several former presidents of the country, including Carlos Mesa, declared themselves in solidarity with Jeanine Añez.

This trial effectively divides the political class.

For the accused, it is completely illegal, while the spokesman for the current president Luis Arce considers it " 

 ", because establishing a legal precedent against any political adventure, comments quoted by

.

Brazilian parliament passes poison bill

In Brazil, deputies approved yesterday Wednesday a bill to relax the rules for the use of pesticides, a text nicknamed " 

 " by its detractors.

This project was one of the priorities of the “ 

 ”, writes the site of

, the powerful group of deputies close to the agricultural lobby (and some of whom are themselves landowners).

The bill, which must first be approved by the Senate, gives the Ministry of Agriculture the sole right to decide on the import of a particular pesticide.

Until now, the Ministry of the Environment also had a say.

According to

magazine , the new text authorizes the use of toxic and carcinogenic products.

Some deputies have already indicated that they would appeal to the Supreme Court if the bill were passed.

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