Acesso ao serviço público e capitalismo periférico: estado de exceção no Conjunto Novo Perimetral.

Abstract

The state of permanent exception observed in the peripheral countries of capitalism produces a context of structural inequality that has in urban violence one of its most acute expressions, directly affecting access to the public service and meeting the essential needs of the population. This research analyzes the access to the public service in the context of the state of exception experienced in the Conjunto Novo Perimetral, also known as the community of Gereba, in the periphery of the city of Fortaleza, marked by social vulnerability and violence caused by “criminal gang warfare”. The qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research used as techniques: observation in the community, with forays and experiences in the field, open interview in depth, reporting in field diary and photographic records, as well as documentary analysis. The research was delimited to the Conjunto Novo Perimetral, between the beginning of 2016 and the first half of 2018. As a result one has the relevance of access to the public service, adjusting for the attendance of relevant social needs, especially in countries on the periphery of capitalism. It is understood that access to the public service in the context of a state of emergency is hampered by the situation of social vulnerability of users and by urban armed violence. The “invisible frontiers” imposed by the factions and the “forced displacements” of residents, extreme situations of limiting access to the public service, were perceived. The military occupation of the community was also perceived as an exceptional measure to combat the criminal gangs. Finally, initiatives of the Public Power were identified to guarantee the safe access to the essential services. It is concluded that urban armed violence has an intimate relationship with the situation of extreme social vulnerability experienced in the surveyed community. The absence or restriction of access to the public service is aggravated in this scenario, making more vulnerable users and residents in general. Extreme measures of public security and other Public Administration initiatives have proved important but insufficient to guarantee access to the public service.