On Tuesday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to demand President Jair Bolsonaro's resignation for his COVID-19 pandemic mismanagement and neoliberal reforms, which include budget cuts and privatization of public companies.
RELATED:
Protesters also called for the release of 25-year-old Matheus Machado, who has been in prison for a week since he participated in the July 3 anti-government demonstration in Sao Paulo.
Besides, they criticized with banners and statements in sound cars the President’s Proposal to Reform the Constitution (PEC) that seeks to reduce pensions and extend retirement ages.
The Tuesday rally was organized by the Sao Joao del-Rei City Front, which distributed brochures on the call for the July 24 anti-government mass protests. Police Special Actions Battalion (BAEP) used stun bombs and pepper spray to suppress protesters, two of which ended arrested in Rio de Janeiro.
For the first time, a majority of Brazilians -54 percent- supports a proposed move by the country's lower house to open impeachment proceedings against Bolsonaro, as serious graft allegations related to vaccine procurement hit the right-wing leader's already battered image.
In recent weeks, Brasilia has been rocked by allegations that federal officials solicited bribes to fast-track and overpay for the Covaxin vaccine developed by India's Bharat Biotech. In late June, Brazil's Health Ministry suspended the US$304 million procurement deal, and the Supreme Court authorized an investigation into the President for dereliction of duty.
In addition to the vaccine scandal, a pair of deadly coronavirus waves this year have chipped away at the popularity of the former army captain, who has consistently downplayed the pandemic's severity and sown doubts about the safety of vaccines.