Clashes in Brazil as protest against pension reforms turn violent
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Thousands of people have taken to the streets across Brazil to protest against pension reforms.
The government wants to raise the retirement age as part of its austerity programme. It says the measure is essential to help lift the economy from its worst recession in more than a century.
O que
— PT na Câmara (@PTnaCamara) March 15, 2017jornalnacional</a> da <a href="https://twitter.com/RedeGlobo">redeglobo vai dizer sobre os atos contra as reformas? Preparem-se para o show de minimização dos fatos#GreveGeralpic.twitter.com/hdECE4nyqT
Tens of thousands of demonstrators however, backed by powerful unions and the popular former president Lula da Silva, have pledged to fight the controversial proposals which are expected to be put to Congress in the second half of this year.
New Weekly Chart: The burden of Brazil’s pensions by
luisaleme</a>. <a href="https://t.co/kNwIMNZmUR">https://t.co/kNwIMNZmUR</a> <a href="https://t.co/MCsCXsmfDU">pic.twitter.com/MCsCXsmfDU</a></p>— AS/COA Online (ASCOA) March 9, 2017
The protests reflect the deep ideological divide among Brazilians, but President Michel Temer has received the backing of senior lawmakers, despite the expansion of a corruption probe that threatens the ruling coalition.