Brazil: Anti-Temer protests continue /update 4

Event

On Sunday, May 28, thousands of protesters marched across Rio de Janeiro to denounce President Michel Temer and his economic and social policies as well as various corruption allegations affecting Temer and his administration. The protesters called for immediate elections as well as a general strike similar to one that paralyzed Rio and São Paulo on April 28. Further protests cannot be ruled out and violence may flare up.

Additionally, the country's Superior Electoral Court will meet June 6-8, to decide whether or not to annul the 2014 presidential elections - the elections that Dilma Rousseff won with Michel Temer as her running mate - due to irregularities regarding the financing of the Rousseff-Temer campaign.

Context

A recorded conversation of President Temer purportedly showing him discussing the payment of hush money to a jailed politician led to the opening of a formal probe by the Supreme Court on Friday, May 19. The scandal has sparked various protests and prompted eight impeachment filings. Temer has reiterated that he will not step down.

Even before this discovery, numerous protests had been held in response to major corruption scandals affecting all levels of government as well as labor and pension reforms proposed by Temer, whose conservative government came to power following the impeachment of former President Rousseff. Numerous opposition groups, labor unions, and civil society organizations consider Rousseff's ouster and Temer's arrival in office to be illegitimate. Demonstrators are demanding the protection of workers' rights as well as the resignation of President Temer, who is currently under investigation for obstruction of justice and corruption. On Wednesday, May 24, 49 people were injured in protests against President Michel Temer in Brasília which led to the temporary deployment of the army; an estimated 150,000 people participated in the protests.

Advice

Individuals in Brazil are advised to avoid all demonstrations due to the risk of violence, to anticipate transportation disruptions surrounding protest sites, and to monitor developments to the situation.