Pernambuco bus drivers threaten strike after driver attacked in Olinda

Bus drivers in the Recife Metropolitan Area are threatening a general strike following a violent attack on a driver in Olinda. The incident occurred around 4:45 a.m. on Wednesday when criminals on motorcycles intercepted a bus on the 825 line (Jardim Brasil/Joana Bezerra).

According to the Sindicato dos Rodoviários de Pernambuco (Sintro-PE), the assailants forced the driver, identified as Ednaldo Colares de Farias, to change the vehicle's route and then exit the bus. The criminals subsequently set the vehicle on fire. The driver sustained burns to his face, head, and hands and was transported to a hospital; the operating company, Caxangá, reported that he is doing well.

In response to the attack, workers temporarily suspended services for the Jardim Brasil I and II terminals to ensure safety. Sintro-PE is demanding a meeting with the government of Pernambuco to discuss improved security measures for transit workers in the region.