SAO PAULO (AP) – Protesters massed in Brazil’s largest city Sunday to call for the president to be removed from office and express outrage at a host of his policies, while the embattled leader tried to head off some of their criticism.
President Michel Temer has suffered a continual drip of scandal and high-level resignations since he took office six months ago. But on Friday a scandal touched him directly for the first time amid allegations he abused his power to do a personal favor for one of his Cabinet ministers. He denied the allegation.
The scandal could scuttle Temer’s ability to pass a series of austerity policies that he says are necessary to pull Latin America’s largest economy out of a deep recession – and they are a threat to his presidency. Opposition politicians have promised to introduce measures in Congress calling for his impeachment.
On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered on a main avenue in Sao Paulo to call for just that. Representatives from political parties and social movements also protested against the government’s proposal to cap spending to rein in the deficit, which many fear will result in deep cuts to education and health care.
Others were protesting rampant corruption in politics, criticizing not just the current administration, while some complained about the lack of suitable housing. One group held up a banner with a drawing of Fidel Castro, paying homage to the Cuban revolutionary leader who died Friday night.