Brazil Bus Fares Roll Back in Response to Protests

One small victory

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Tens of thousands of Brazilians flooded the streets of the country's biggest city Tuesday in a widening protest against a slew of problems from bus fares to government corruption.

More than 50,000 people massed in front of the city's main cathedral. While mostly peaceful, the demonstration followed the rhythm of protests that drew 240,000 people across Brazil the previous night, with small bands of radicals splitting off to fight with police and break into stores.

Mass protests have been mushrooming across Brazil since demonstrations called last week by a group angry over the high cost of a woeful public transport system and a recent 10-cent hike in bus and subway fares in Sao Paulo, Rio and elsewhere.

The local governments in at least four cities have now agreed to reverse those hikes, and city and federal politicians have shown signs that the Sao Paulo fare could also be rolled back.