Brazilian strikers bar access to Christ the Redeemer statue
May 13th, 2010 - 3:40 pm ICT by IANSRio de Janeiro, May 13 (IANS/EFE) Dozens of striking officials in Brazil have prevented people from reaching the Christ the Redeemer statue, the top tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro.
The protesters, employees of the environment ministry and related government departments, have been on strike since April 8, the employees association Ibama said in a statement Wednesday.
Tourists who tried to reach the top of Corcovado Mountain, where the statue stands, were prevented from doing so Wednesday morning by the protesters.
The demonstrators only allowed workers cleaning up and road repairing works in surrounding Tijuca National Forest, where numerous mudslides occurred last month.
Some 600 government employees are on strike in Rio de Janeiro’s Itatiaia, Serra dos Orgaos, Bocaina and Tijuca parks. The association is demanding pay hike for the employees.
Christ the Redeemer, which draws some 1.8 million tourists each year, has been surrounded by scaffolding since February as part of a restoration project.
The statue was vandalized several weeks ago.
Christ the Redeemer, constructed in 1931, was declared a national heritage site in December.
–IANS/EFE
snb/dg
- World's tallest statue of Jesus unveiled in Swiebodzin - Nov 22, 2010
- Brazil mudslides: Toll reaches 860 - Feb 02, 2011
- Brazil mudslides: Toll rises to 869 - Feb 03, 2011
- Brazil mudslides toll rises to 85 - Jan 05, 2010
- Three die in Brazil blast - Oct 14, 2011
- Heavy rains leave 250 dead in Brazil - Jan 13, 2011
- 10 killed as mudslide swept away Brazil hotel - Jan 02, 2010
- Brazilian billionaire's son kills cyclist in accident - Mar 20, 2012
- Brazil mudslides: Death toll rises to 727 - Jan 20, 2011
- Heavy rains kill 93 in Brazil - Apr 07, 2010
- Brazilian officials probe oil found on beach - Dec 20, 2011
- Poland set to unveil world's tallest Jesus statue - Nov 07, 2010
- Five die in Brazil when elevator crashes - Apr 22, 2012
- Brazil mudslides: Death toll rises to 762 - Jan 22, 2011
- Derailed streetcar leaves five dead in Rio de Janeiro - Aug 29, 2011
Tags: christ the redeemer statue, christ the redeemer statue rio de janeiro, demonstrators, dg, efe, government departments, government employees, ibama, itatiaia, national forest, national heritage, protesters, restoration project, rio de janeiro, scaffolding, serra dos orgaos, snb, strikers, tourist attraction, wednesday morning