In Brazil 3,000 families belonging to an amalgam of rural workers' movements occupied 34 farms in the north-east of the country.
Their invasions, which occurred in the early hours of yesterday, coincided with protests on the Trans-Amazonian highway, where 1,500 workers blocked traffic on one of the country's most important trunk roads.
Mr Joao Santos da Silva, of the Federation of Agricultural Workers, said: "We are protesting about the slow process of agrarian reform in Brazil. The workers want their own strips of land where they can work with dignity and pride."
The rural movements say they want to mobilise 50,000 workers in the coming weeks to put pressure on the government. However, Brazil's National Confederation of Bishops condemned their actions, saying that while they agreed with social reform in the rural zones it had to be done within the constraints of the law.
Bishop Amaury Castanho said: "We consider their cause is fair but we cannot agree with the invasions and the violence and with this idea of making agrarian reform by force."
Throughout the country, thousands of people flocked to rallies to protest against unemployment and low salaries.