Hundreds attend 'Change Brazil' protest in Vancouver
Hundreds of Brazilians took to the street in Vancouver in a show of solidarity with a wave of protests in Brazil against the shoddy state of public transit, schools and other public services in the booming South American giant.
“I wish I could go there and fight with them because we are so tired of everything,” said Vancouver protester Matheos Martins.
Sparked earlier this month by a 10-cent hike in bus and subway fares and organized via social media, the nationwide protests are giving voice to growing discontent over the gap between Brazil's high tax burden and the low quality of public infrastructure.
Brazil protesters keep up pressure on government
The protests echo similar mobilizations in Turkey, Greece and other parts of the globe where weariness with governments has exploded in the streets.
“We want to be respected by the government. We pay a lot of tax... and we don’t receive anything,” said Victor Fonseca during Tuesday’s protest outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.
This is just one of dozens of ‘Change Brazil’ protests being held around the world.
After an estimated turnout of 240,000 people in 10 cities Monday, the protests are turning into the most significant in Brazil since the end of the country's 1964-85 military dictatorship, when crowds rallied to demand the return of democracy.
