Mass Protests Sweep Brazil in Uproar over Public Services Cuts & High Costs of World Cup, Olympics

Brazil is witnessing some of its largest protests in decades, after some 240,000 people protested Monday. Tens of thousands continue to take the streets. The demonstrations were initially sparked by an increase in bus fares in São Paulo, but the uprising soon spiraled nationwide amid outrage over government corruption, inequality, failing public services and police brutality against demonstrators. Protesters have also condemned the high level of government spending on the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. We’re joined from São Paulo by Lucia Nader, executive director of the Brazil-based human rights organization Conectas and a participant in the protests.

This article was posted on Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 at 2:41pm and is filed under Activism, Brazil, Classism, Police, Poverty, Video.