Calls for elections and anti-govt protests held in several Brazilian states
Protests linked to unions and leftist movements were staged in several Brazilian cities on Sunday (May 21).
Protests linked to unions and leftist movements were staged in several Brazilian cities on Sunday (May 21). They were calling against the government and demanding a direct election. In Rio, Brasília, and Recife, the protests drew smaller turnouts in the morning. In Porto Alegre, the demonstration was called off due to weather conditions.
In Brasília, about 350 people gathered in front of the National Museum. According to Military Police Lieutenant Marcus Uitálo Menezes, there was a peaceful demonstration, which began at 10am and lasted just over two hours.
The protests were sparked by corruption revelations from Joesley and Wesley Batista, owners of meatpacking giant JBS and defendants in the Car Wash corruption scandal, ensnaring President Michel Temer . On Saturday (20), Temer gave a televised address in which he defied calls for his resignation, and asked the Supreme Court (STF) to halt investigations on him.
State government employees and union representatives in Rio gathered on Copacabana beach near Copacabana Palace Hotel to protest the government. In Belo Horizonte, demonstrators gathered at Praça da Liberdade at 9am and marched to Praça Sete, taking the streets in the central area of the city. In Recife, Pernambuco, a demonstration was staged at the city's historic center at the mile zero square (Marco Zero), and drew far fewer people than last Thursday (18).
In São Paulo, anti-government demonstrators calling for Diretas Já (“[Direct] Election Now”) took to the street under rainy weather. They used umbrellas or hid under canopies and shades and wore plastic rain ponchos. The event, which was organized by Frente Brasil Popular and Frente Povo Sem Medo, began around 3pm and was wound up at 6 pm.
In Fortaleza, protesters gathered on Iracema beach and marched along the beachfront avenue (Avenida Beira Mar). Organized by Frente Brasil Popular and Povo sem Medo, the event drew people from the state capital and other cities in the state. The banners and posters had slogans and rallying words including Diretas Já.
*Cristina Indio (Rio de Janeiro), Léo Rodrigues (Belo Horizonte), Sumaia Villela (Recife), Daniel Isaia (Porto Alegre), Elaine Patrícia Cruz (São Paulo) and Edwirges Nogueira (Fortaleza) contributed reporting.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Calls for elections and anti-govt protests held in several Brazilian states
