On Friday tens of thousands of people went to the streets of the biggest Brazilian cities protesting against the reform of the pension system and budget cuts made by the government of the far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. The one-day general strike was called by unions. According to observers, fewer participants took part than in the protests in the second half of May against deep cuts in spending on public education and other social programs.
The pension reform proposal, which the Bolsonaro government is currently trying to push through in the parliament, raises the retirement age to 65 for men and 62 for women and provides for greater workers' contributions in raising funds for future retirement.
(PAP)