In an urbanized society, public transport plays a fundamental role in moving the population (mainly workers) through city to access workplaces and homes, as well as spaces where public services are offered, such as educational, health and leisure. However, the control exercised by companies over this type of transport has constantly led to the outbreak of revolts against both the prices charged and the quality offered by the services. In this context, in the city of Niterói, in 1959, the Barges Revolt.
With the growing urbanization of the former capital of the Republic - Rio de Janeiro, more and more necessary to transport the working population that lived in Niterói, but worked, across Guanabara Bay. in capital. Transport by barges in Guanabara Bay was controlled by private companies since the mid-19th century. As of 1953, the companies Companhia Cantareira and Viação Fluminense, which controlled waterway transport, began to be managed by Frota Barreto S/A, belonging to the Carreteiro Group.
Despite managing to reduce the time it takes to travel between the two cities with the modernization of services, the Carreteiro Group started to charge an ever-increasing amount for the transportation fee. Delays and overcrowding on ferries were also constant. At the same time, the Carreteiro Group constantly asked for an increase in subsidies from the state institutions to be able to maintain economically viable the provision of the transport service collective. However, for the population, the enrichment of the Carreteiro family was visible through the exploitation of transport in the Guanabara Bay. The construction of a mansion in Niterói, the possession of farms in the region, in addition to the display of wealth, left the population with growing indignation.
The situation came to a head in May 1959. In a context of countless strikes that took place in the main urban centers of Brazil against the appalling living and working conditions, the seafarers (waterway transport workers) were in conflict with the Carreteiro Group, as the group did not want to pay the wage increase stipulated by the government. In early May, Grupo Carreteiro refused to pay the salaries of seafarers. Faced with this situation, the maritime union launched a strike in the early hours of May 22, 1959. The marines were asked to organize the embarkation of the population in the boats that were being made available by the Navy.
As the boats did not support the population that needed transport (about 100,000 people a day), a large agglomeration of people formed at the Cantareira station, in Niterói. When trying to organize the boarding lines, the marines began to use brutality with the people who were at the station. Some stones were hurled at the marines who responded with bursts of machine guns.
From then on, the population's revolt spread. The boats were attacked and depredated, the Cantareira Station was set on fire. From there, the protesters moved to the company's headquarters, where furniture and documents were set on fire in the street. But the popular revolt did not stop there. Three kilometers from the company office was the Carreteiro family mansion. Protesters moved to the scene and stormed the mansion. Luxury furniture was thrown into the street and destroyed. The family's valuables were looted. Finally, the mansion was set on fire. Even with the destruction, it was still possible to find on one of the mansion's walls the following inscription: “here lies the fortunes of the Carreteiro Group, accumulated with the sacrifice of the people”. ²
According to Maria da Conceição Vicente de Almeida, using the analysis of Roberto DaMatta, what happened was also a kind of carnivalization of the revolt, because when they entered the Carreteiros' residence, the demonstrators wore the jewels, clothes and perfumes of the businessmen's women, carrying in their attitude a symbolism of the struggle against the group that, at that time, represented being the enemy of the people. In this carnivalization, the people ridiculed and enjoyed, even if momentarily, the luxury acquired in a short period of time by the boat entrepreneurs.
After this episode, the transport system across Guanabara Bay was transferred to state control. The balance of the revolt had, in addition to material damage, six dead and more than 100 injured.
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¹ Image Credit: Odyr Amorim / JB Agency, published in “Ocular Witness”, edited in 1981 by Círculo do Livro.
² ALMEIDA, M. Ç. V. in. Çage, politics and memory. The boat break in Niterói. ANPUH – XXIII NATIONAL HISTORY SYMPOSIUM – Londrina, 2005. Available in: http://anpuh.org/anais/wpcontent/uploads/mp/pdf/ANPUH.S23.0697.pdf
By Tales Pinto
Graduated in History
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiab/revolta-das-barcas-niteroi-1959.htm
