Tens of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets on Saturday to demand the impeachment of President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the health crisis, which has led to the deaths of more than half a million people in the country, according to journalists from the Agence France-Presse. Demonstrators gathered for the fourth consecutive weekend, called by leftist parties and unions, to demand the ousting of the right-wing president who is under investigation for allegedly ignoring the embezzlement of public funds related to vaccine purchases.
In Rio, thousands marched wearing red clothes and masks, carrying slogans such as "Get out, you corrupt criminal" and "No one can take it anymore." Organizers called for protests across the country "in defense of democracy and the lives of Brazilians, and to remove Bolsonaro from power." In Rio and elsewhere, demonstrators condemned the delayed start of the vaccination campaign in Brazil and the massive unemployment, demanding more assistance for poor residents facing the pandemic.
Lais de Oliveira, a 65-year-old social services worker, told Agence France-Presse, "It is very important for anyone who feels insulted or oppressed by this government to take to the streets because we must fight for the return of democracy." Local press reported in the afternoon that protests took place in 20 of Brazil's 26 states. Neither organizers nor authorities provided estimates of the number of protesters.
President Bolsonaro is suspected of having ignored corruption allegations reported by an employee of the Ministry of Health. This employee testified before an inquiry committee formed by the Senate that he faced "extraordinary pressure" to approve the importation of doses of the Indian vaccine "Covaxin," which he considered overpriced. The Brazilian Prosecutor's Office announced the opening of a preliminary investigation into the allegations against the president by three senators who accused him of "neglecting his duties" in this matter.
Bolsonaro, who took office in 2019, has denied all information regarding governmental corruption and condemned the parliamentary investigation, calling it a political "move" aimed at forcing him to resign. Bolsonaro is currently experiencing the worst phase of his presidency, with his approval rating dropping to 24%, and polls indicate he could lose the presidential election in October against former leftist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is affiliated with the Workers' Party that supported Saturday's protests. The opposition filed a complaint on June 30 consisting of 20 different charges for the president's impeachment, but Bolsonaro still has enough support in Congress to block such initiatives.
