In an interview with Agencia Brasil, Bianca Borges, president of the National Union of Students (UNE), stated that the upcoming October 25th elections go beyond a mere contest between candidates; they are a matter that will shape the country’s future.

  She warned that a potential victory for Senator Flavio Bolsonaro—a rival to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection—would pose risks to democratic institutions and social rights.

  She explained that recent demonstrations began at universities and subsequently expanded to include secondary school students and other segments of society, such as workers and grassroots social movements.

  Borges noted that the movement’s primary concerns include the poor funding of public universities, the economic hardships low-income students face in continuing their education, and the need to expand student support services.

  Furthermore, she linked the youth movement’s objectives with the demands of the working class—including the call to end the “6×1” work schedule (six days of labor followed by one day of rest).

  According to Borges, the student mobilization should not end with the elections; she urged students to maintain their organization through assemblies, academic centers, and university student councils.

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