Protesting for a new political order in Brazil
Calls for impeachment reveal rift between public and political system
Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff got her political start resisting a military dictatorship. She won that fight. But now, she’s Brazil’s most unpopular leader since that dictatorship ended in 1985, and she’s fighting for her own political survival. A corruption scandal and tanking economy have spurred mass protests calling for her impeachment. But the discontent goes far beyond the right-wing middle classes marching in the streets. Working class leftists say Rousseff’s Workers Party has abandoned its base and sold out to the conservative political establishment. They want a new leftist movement to rise, while the right wants a seat in the presidential palace. Will the protests force Brazil’s government to change? We discuss at 19:30 GMT.
On today’s episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Fabio Ostermann @FabioOstermann
Activist, Movimento Brasil Livre
movimentobrasillivre.org
Bruno Torturra @torturra
Journalist and photographer
fluxo.net
Rodrido Nunes @orangoquango
Lecturer, Catholic University of Rio De Janeiro
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.