Post-Carnival hangover

25 June 2013 By Martin Hutchinson

The former president, and successor Rousseff, took advantage of a commodities boom, but have overspent and tolerated too much corruption. Export prices have dropped, budgets need cutting and the people aren’t happy. Placating them with more handouts would worsen the problem.

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Protests involving more than 1 million people across Brazil occurred on June 20, and smaller protests continued at the weekend. Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff promised to hold a dialogue with the protesters, praising them for their “greatness” but said she would do whatever was necessary to maintain order.
Protesters’ grievances focused initially on bus fare rises, but have broadened to include healthcare, corruption and the billions of dollars the government is spending to host the 2014 World Cup.
Rousseff promised on June 24 to hold a plebiscite on a possible constituent assembly to consider constitutional changes.

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