Post date: Jun 20, 2013 7:13:55 PM
A day after Sao Paulo rolled back bus fare hikes, protests are expected to continue with the biggest demonstrations to date expected later in the day across the country.
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (JUNE 20, 2013) (REUTERS) - After a hike in public transport fares sparked a succession of mass demonstrations, commuters in Sao Paulo on Thursday (June 20) paid a reduced fare after city officials did a U-turn in a bid to calm the escalating protests.
Sao Paulo residents praised the protest movement for accomplishing the fare roll-back, but many said the fare reduction was just the beginning with funding for education and health care, rising prices, corruption and vast government expenditure for next year's World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro still pressing issues.This month's transport fare hikes sparked the biggest protests to sweep Brazil in more than two decades.
The protests have been organized by a disparate group of activists who have rallied supporters via social media.
One of the activist groups is the Free Fare Movement which advocates free public transportation services and first took to the streets to protest a fare hike in 2006.
One of the group's leaders, Douglas Belome, said the fare reduction was a sign of what social movements could accomplish.
"The issue that united everyone who came out was the reduction in fares from $3.20 (reals) to $3.00 (reals). We were very happy with the result that I think showed the people united. And this showed that when the people unite they can win something legitimate if they claim it," Belome said.
However, despite Sao Paulo and other cities including Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre rolling back the fare increases, there is little sign of the protest movement abating.
"With this the people have shown that they are strong enough to change that which is wrong in the country. This whole fare thing was just the beginning. We have to take advantage of this movement now and change a lot more things, because there are a lot more things wrong than just the fares," said Sao Paulo resident Joao da Silva.
After the fare increase was scrapped, leaders of the protest movement in Sao Paulo said their cause would now shift to free public transport and that a planned protest for Thursday would be a celebration.
Initially focused in cities like Sao Paulo, Rio and Brasilia, demonstrations have spread, with protests planned in more than 70 smaller cities for Thursday, which could prove to be the biggest night of demonstrations yet.