Brazilian women who live in Portugal receive notice and will have to leave land; understand the case

Andréia Machado, a Brazilian, reported to the Portugal Giro/O Globo column that she and other occupants of private land in Lisbon received a notice to leave the site at the end of May.

Andréia and another Brazilian, Márcia Araújo, chose to live in tents on land located in a prime area of ​​Carcavelos, as they gave up looking for a property with affordable rent.

Andréia Machado and Márcia Araújo — Photo: From the personal archive for Portugal Giro

Andréia bought a trailer with the money she saved for six months. She and 30 other people, including Brazilians, are negotiating for another piece of land where they could live.

— We are negotiating with a piece of land. There are thirty of us who have lived together daily since we arrived here — says Machado.

Announcement — Photo: Andréia Machado

The case of Brazilian women and other foreigners and Portuguese people who live locally or on the streets of Portugal reflects the increase in the cost of real estate in the country.

Andréia explains that the group is not considering looking for apartments or houses due to rising prices, which consume half of their salaries.

— Everyone refuses to return to rent, because it consumes 50% of our minimum wages (€850/R$4,600) — says she, who works as a carpenter and cleaning properties.

There are people in vulnerable situations in the group, according to Andréia.

— Older people live on social assistance of a maximum of €250 (R$1,300) and some on less than that. There is a 58-year-old Portuguese man who was evicted from the house he lived in for 48 years — she said, adding:

— Another Portuguese woman, aged 57, suffers from a chronic illness and has been waiting for a response to her request for social housing since 2017. She tries to find work, but without an address and due to her age, she has not been successful.