Demonstrations held for and against Brazil’s Rousseff

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Brazil in support of suspended President Dilma Rousseff, calling for her return to office, while some other protesters demanded her removal.

As many as 4,000 protesters held rallies in the capital Rio de Janeiro and 15 other states across the country on Sunday to voice support for Rousseff.

The protesters also condemned acting President Michel Temer, who replaced Rousseff after Brazil’s upper chamber of the National Congress voted to suspend her and begin an impeachment trial against her in May.

Rousseff's supporters further plan to hold protests on Friday as the Olympic Games open. The leader of the homeless movement (MTST) Guilherme Boulos said the opening of the Rio Games will be "the beginning of a new cycle of struggle."

The Games, which are set to start in Rio de Janeiro on August 5, are expected to attract millions of people from around the world.

Rousseff is accused of illegally manipulating finances to hide a growing public deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014, which she denies.

On Sunday, a few hundred protesters gathered in Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach and some other states, calling for permanent ouster of Rousseff.

A Senate trial on permanently removing the suspended president is expected in late August.

SS