Brasília, 2/10/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Minister Nilmário Miranda, who heads the Special Secretariat for Human Rights, reports that the eradication of slave-type labor in Brazil is a high priority of the Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva government. According to Miranda, the issue was discussed at length at the last cabinet meeting on Friday (February 6).

The minister said that the government has decided to push for a constitutional amendment which will make it possible to expropriate land used for slave-type labor. The Senate has already approved such a law. (AB)