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Protests swell across Brazil in support of President Rousseff

Xinhua, December 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Protests against the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff broke out in major Brazilian cities on Wednesday, organized by the country's main unions, as well as NGOs and political parties.

Under the theme of "There Will Be No Coup," the Unified Workers'Central (CUT) teamed up with the National Union of Students (UNE) as well as other groups to organize the rallies.

According to Vagner Freitas, president of the CUT, protests took place in 70 cities in defense of democracy, to fight against corruption and to support Rousseff as she was facing impeachment proceedings.

"This is a civic act, an act in defence of democracy, citizenship and liberty," he affirmed, adding that this was the first time that all the country's unions and social movements had united since 1992, when the former president Fernando Collor de Mello faced impeachment.

"Every time democracy and labor rights are at risk, the unions...play their role by coming together and defending their rights," explained Freitas.

The protests came three days after smaller pro-impeachment ones, and on the same day as the Brazilian Supreme Court would meet to determine the rules governing the impeachment process. Endi