Brazil Flares Up

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Image credit: http://www.euronews.com/nocomment/2013/06/17/protests-in-brazil-against-high-cost-of-hosting-2014-world-cup/

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Brazil is witnessing angry waves of protests. The initial trigger for the widespread infuriation was a 10-cent (20 centavos) increase in bus and subway fares, which was subsequently rolled back in an attempt to dissipate social unrest. Nonetheless, Thursday saw somewhere between one and two million people take to the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and dozens of other cities across the country, pressing demands for greater investment in education and health care and venting popular anger over the billions being lavished on World Cup stadiums at the expense of the people.

In many instances, demonstrators were met with brutal repression, including tear gas, rubber bullets and cavalry charges. Cops just love to terrorize civilians because thy know they have the state behind them.

The issues Brazilians are demonstrating about are familiar to Malaysians. All I can say is that Malaysians are a very patient people!