In an effort to cease the protests and restore her country to equilibrium the President of Brazil, Dilma Rouseff is promising her people a reform vote and offering a "Five Pact" plan with suggested reforms for the Brazilian government.
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For just over two weeks Brazil has witnessed the largest protests in the country's history since 1988 following the end of the Brazilian dictatorship. The people of Brazil marched across the country's major cities in protest over what they consider a corrupt government and the misuse of funds.
The Brazilian people had had enough when their city governments raised the cost of public transportation. Those who struggle economically in Brazil felt the government was not allocating its budget logically by spending millions to prepare for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
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Looking to send the government a message the people of Brazil marched in protest demanding the cost of public transportation be lowered as well as other regime changes including a better public education system and better health care.
The protests started out largely non-violent but later grew to excess causing riots and resulting in the death of a young man.
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According to the Los Angeles Times President Rouseff met with some of the protesters to hear their complaints and demands for policy change. The L.A Times says,
The move may help undercut claims [Rouseff] has not been sufficiently responsive to the demonstrations that have brought thousands of people to the streets in various cities in recent days. More protests were planned for Tuesday.
"The streets are telling us that the country wants quality public services, more effective measures to combat corruption, and responsive political representation," Reuters reports Rouseff said in a statement.
The BBC has outlined Rouseff's "Five Pact" plan as follows:
"Fiscal Responsibility: Guaranteeing economic stability and curbing inflation.
Education: Investing 100% of Brazil's oil royalties in education.
Health: Hiring foreign doctors to provide medical services in remote and under-developed areas.
Constitute Assembly: Establishing an assembly to eventually amend Brazil's constitution to ensure reforms make it from "paper to practice."
Public Transport: Investing more than 50 billion reias for new investments in urban mobility projects and to improve public transport."
Some have questioned Rouseff's ability to pull off her "Five Pact" plan since her popularity has decreased in the wake of the protests and the Brazilian economy is still slow. Reuters reports that the rising interest rates on consumer credit are making it more costly and purchasing power is being demolished by inflation.
President Rouseff is thought to be running for reelection in 2014 and it looks to be a long road ahead for her. L.A. Times says 75-percent of Brazilians support the protests. Reuters reports that the President's popularity has slipped to 55-percent. If kept at 55-percent her popularity is enough to win Rouseff a second term. Depending on how her reforms are taken and practiced will determine which direction her popularity goes.
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