In 1978, Suape - Complexo Industrial Portuário was created under the State Law 7763 with the purpose of creating a large industrial district in the steel, petrochemical, and naval sector. by then, the first land expropriation (about 13.5 thousand hectares) started, for the construction works of the port and of related infrastructure. The State boosted and facilitated the implantation of industries, training of workers, construction of port infrastructure, internal road system, water supply, electricity, and telecommunications. 

Since CIPS construction began, numerous conflicts arose in the territory. The MST (Movimento Sem Terra) performed its first occupation in Pernambuco in 1989, in the lands of the CIPS in Cabo de Santo Agostinho. Four hundreds families occupied these lands, but they were violently repressed by the police. According to the Union of Farmers, these families obtained the right to temporarily exploit the land under a lending regime until 2005. In 2001, about 200 workers of the CIPS marched in Recife downtown. These families denounced, however, that in the last two months, two families were attacked by SUAPE security guards. In addition to land tenure, workers also demanded that programs be created to encourage agricultural production and investment in commercial development projects.

In 2006, about 319 families were evicted from their land, under severe pressure by the company Complexo de Suape. Protesters linked to the Movimento de Libertação dos Sem Terras went to the Legislative Assembly and the Palácio das Princesas, where they were received by Governor Mendonça Filho, and demanded a solution to the situation.

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In 2008, 10,000 people participated to the Committee on Citizenship (Comissão de Cidadania) in the Legislative Assembly for bringing up the issue of non-implementation of the Projeto Morador, established in the 2006 law.  This chapter established the destination of 239 hectares of land belonging to Suape Company for the construction of housing plots for displaced people living in the port complex. Chairs of the Associations of Residents of Engenho Massangana, Vila Claudete, Small Farmers of Utinga de Baixo and Utinga de Cima and Engenho Serraria participated in a meeting in Suape to define the details of the decree that regulate State Law nº 13,175 / 06. 

Despite these efforts, inn 2013 the company violently took over inhabitant’s territory and left them without compensation. Evicted population were around 15 thousand affected families. 

In 2014 it was denounced that approximately 1,300 families did not have access to fishing sites, as they were stopped by Suape security guards. In addition to being expropriated from their homes, many people have not received compensation and the promised employment. The few who were first employed have now already been fired because they did not have the necessary training. There was a hearing to ascertain the facts and according to the president of the OAB (Cabo sectional), these people cannot reproduce their lives either materially nor psychologically. 

The families that remain in the area disputed by Suape suffer daily a set of violations of human rights perpetrated by the administration of CIPS in order to prevent farmers to stay in the area. In 2014 alone, 232 families of farmers and fishermen were expelled from the territory occupied by Suape. All expulsions, violations of human rights and irregularities are perpetrated by the administration of the Complex under the illegal justification that the land belongs to Suape.

The lawyer who defends several squatters in the region of Suape, denounced supposed schemes of simulation of legal proceedings in the region of Cabo de Santo Agostinho to divert public resources of the company. After the episode, the lawyer began to suffer persecution.

In 2016, residents and fishermen affected by the Suape Complex protested in Recife. Mobilization aims to open a  negotiating process for remaining on the land and to demand the end of human rights violations.

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