by LAURA CARLSEN
With a million people demonstrating in the streets of cities throughout Brazil, everyone’s scrambling to understand how a 20-cent bus fare hike turned into a social revolt.
Government officials are the most surprised. President Dilma Rousseff hastily cancelled a long-planned trip to Japan and has called an emergency meeting of her cabinet. Her first response was to herald the protests as a sign of participatory democracy. Now that response seems to be evolving as she recognizes the significance of the unexpected grassroots movement.
Taking a harder line on Saturday she stated, “We will not live with a violence that shames Brazil; with balance and calmness—but also with firmness—we will guarantee rights and liberty.” At stake for the government are two things that it cares deeply about: the millions in foreign revenue that will supposedly pour in during mega-events like the World Cup and the Olympics, and the image of Brazil as a modern, upcoming leader in a multipolar world.
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