Brazilian Cities Jeer Rousseff’s Austerity Measures

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s televised call for patience and support of her fiscal austerity measures were met with disapproving jeers and the jarring sound of banging pots across Brazil on Sunday, March 8. During her speech to mark International Women’s Day, Rousseff defended her austerity policies that she said could reduce the country’s budget deficit.

The appeal was met with angry social media users posting videos of people chanting “fora Dilma”, or “Dilma out”, booing, honking horns, and flashing lights in buildings to show their disapproval.

Local news reports said a broadcast Whatsapp message that read “PANELAÇO NAS JANELAS”, or “cooking pots in windows”, successfully summoned people in Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Goiania and other Brazilian cities to bang their cooking pots in a bid to vent their anger towards Rousseff’s unpopular belt-tightening measures. Rousseff’s speech came a week ahead of planned rallies for Rousseff’s impeachment on March 15.

This video is described as showing Vitoria residents reacting to Rousseff’s speech on March 8. Credit: Bruno Herculano/BH Imagens