Protesters Take to the Streets in Brazil Against Rousseff

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Protesters took to the streets in hundreds of Brazilian cities on Sunday, August 16th to demonstrate against the Rousseff Administration and corruption, many calling for the impeachment of the President. The largest crowd was seen in São Paulo city, where official sources say more than 350,000 took to the streets. An independent polling institute estimated the number at 135,000. All protests were peaceful, according to local authorities.

With signs of “Fora Dilma” (Out Dilma Rousseff) and “Impeachment Ja” (Impeachment Now), hundreds of thousands of people came out to protest against the Rousseff Administration. “I want a better Brazil,” Edineia Silva told The Rio Times.

“There is so much corruption in Brasília that what I want is a whole new government, Congress, politicians!” she said while holding her three-year-old grandson in her arms. Silva came to the protest with five other family members and believes these protests will help send a message to politicians that they must change.

Sunday’s nationwide protest was the third this year, and although they mobilized smaller crowds, according to analysts, they occurred in more cities throughout Brazil. Another factor noted by analysts were the larger crowds seen in the Northeastern region of the country, a traditionally pro-PT (Workers Party) and pro-Dilma region. However, despite the callings for the ousting of Brazil’s leader, the majority of Brazilians do not believe the impeachment will occur.

Senator Aécio Neves, spoke to the crowd on top of a protest truck in Belo Horizonte. “I came today as a citizen outraged with the corruption, the lies and the incompetence of this government,” said the former Presidential candidate, who lost to Dilma Rousseff in last year’s presidential race.

Government officials issued statements on Sunday night saying that in a democracy such as Brazil’s every citizen should have the right to speak their mind in an orderly and peaceful manner.