Brazil: Pro-Rousseff protest hits Rio in HUGE demo

Tens of thousands of people gathered on the streets of Rio de Janeiro Thursday, showing their support for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in response to recent anti-government protests. Participants chanted slogans and held banners and flags backing the Brazilian government, which is led by the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT, Workers' Party). Protesters also criticised what they see as a right-wing attempt to seize power by opposition leader Eduardo Cunha, with one activist arguing that recent attempts to destabilise the government prove the "elite" have failed to accept the "conquests of the working class." Several organisations took part in the march including the Movement of Landless Peasants (MST), the National Union of Students (UNE) and the United Workers' Central (CUT), which is the largest union in Latin America with around 7.5 million members. Rio de Janeiro was joined by similar protests throughout Brazil, with an estimated 39 cities experiencing pro-government protests.