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Supporters of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro Sunday to protest earlier demonstrations against the two politicians.
Sunday morning, Brazil's opposition and right-wing protesters marched in the streets to demonstrate against the two leaders from the left-wing Workers Party, or PT.
Lula and President Rousseff have both been entangled in a corruption scandal involving the state owned oil company Petrobras, what critics say is a part of a smear campaign aimed to discredit the leftist leaders.
Here's what you need to know about Brazil's #Petrobras scandal https://t.co/L0bTOxaLfn pic.twitter.com/SQzJ6b0gZO
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) March 13, 2016
Protesters are demanding Rousseff's resignation while opposition members have been threatening her with impeachment. However, the president is not being investigated in the corruption scandal.
Following Sunday morning's anti-government protest, supporters responded by organizing major demonstrations in the form of cultural activities.
Event organizers say they are defending democracy in Brazil, and have denounced the anti-government campaign the government being orchestrated by the media, corporations and right-wing sectors.
In regards to the protests Sunday morning, President Rousseff responded by welcoming the fact that Brazilians are free to demonstrate peacefully and express what they think.
“We believe that all people have the right to go outside, but now no one has the right to create violence. I lived in a time when if you protested you went prisoner, if you disagreed you were in jail. Not now. We live in a time when people can protest and express what they think, and that's something we have to preserve,” she said.
Supporters say that as long as the threats against Rousseff and Lula persist, they will continue their movement of support, including a mass demonstration called for March 18, organized by the national labor union.
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