Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians angered by corruption and deep recession flooded the streets of Latin America's biggest country Sunday to call for removing President Dilma Rousseff.
Chanting "Dilma out!" and often draped in the bright yellow and green national flag, protesters across Brazil sought to pressure Congress into accelerating impeachment proceedings against the leftist leader.
In Sao Paulo, the most populous city and an opposition stronghold, a sea of people filled the central avenue for a protest that authorities had said could draw a million protesters.
"We are at a decisive moment for our country. We are going to start the change now," said Rogerio Chequer, leader of Vem Pra Rua, one of the main organizers of the demonstrations.
Helio Bicudo, a prominent
lawyer who once supported the government but helped initiate the current push
for impeachment said "Brazil can't take being looted and robbed anymore;
it can't take more incompetence and corruption."
In Rio de Janeiro, which will host the Summer Olympics in August, protesters singing and dancing to samba songs swarmed along the beachfront avenue in Copacabana.
Organizers said that hundreds of thousands attended, but police would not confirm this and there was no immediate way to verify conflicting claims.
About 100,000 people marched in the capital Brasilia, a police source told AFP. Some 400 cities all across Latin America's biggest country were staging protests.
In Rio de Janeiro, which will host the Summer Olympics in August, protesters singing and dancing to samba songs swarmed along the beachfront avenue in Copacabana.
Organizers said that hundreds of thousands attended, but police would not confirm this and there was no immediate way to verify conflicting claims.
About 100,000 people marched in the capital Brasilia, a police source told AFP. Some 400 cities all across Latin America's biggest country were staging protests.