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Eugene

(61,900 posts)
Sun Jun 20, 2021, 02:46 AM Jun 2021

As Brazil tops 500,000 deaths, protests against president

Source: Associated Press

As Brazil tops 500,000 deaths, protests against president

By MARCELO SILVA DE SOUSA
June 19, 2021

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Anti-government protesters took to the streets in more than a score of cities across Brazil on Saturday as the nation’s confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million — a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaro’s attempt to minimize the disease.

Thousands gathered in downtown Rio de Janeiro waving flags with slogans such as “Get out Bolsonaro. Government of hunger and unemployment.”

“Brazil is experiencing a great setback. The country was an exemplary country for vaccination in the world. We have widely recognized institutions, but today we are in a sad situation ”, said Isabela Gouljor, a 20-year-old student who joined the protest in Rio.

Other marchers hoisted posters reading: “500 thousand deaths. It’s his fault,” alluding to Bolsonaro.

Similar marches took place in at least 22 or Brazil’s 26 states, as well as in the Federal District, Brasilia. They were promoted by left-wing opposition parties who have been heartened by Bolsonaro’s declining poll ratings with next year’s presidential race looming.

-snip-


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/brazil-coronavirus-pandemic-health-bb2f9632be7a8a484d35d4e7fb642406


Demonstrators hold signs that read in Portuguese; "Impeachment now! Bolsonaro in prison" during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, June 19, 2021. Brazil's COVID-19 death toll is expected to surpass the milestone of 500,000 deaths on Saturday night. (AP Photo/Marcelo Chello)
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