In May 2026, a strike by university students and administrative staff, as well as school teachers, began in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

In May 2026, a strike by university students and administrative staff, as well as school teachers, began in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The protesters demanded higher salaries and scholarships. We spoke with political scientist Alexander Sherstobitov, a visiting professor at the University of São Paulo and creator of the “Political Scientist” channel, about the strikes at Brazilian universities, political traditions, and students’ standard of living.