Brazilian citizens deserve elections now

31 August marks one year since Dilma Rousseff’s removal as President of Brazil, when 61 senators trampled upon the political will expressed at the ballot box by the 54 million Brazilians who had elected her. 

Since then, the illegitimate Michel Temer-led government has shown its true colours with hardline austerity policies. Despite having no mandate, the government has reversed social programmes that took 40 million people out of poverty.

 Its policies have plunged the economy into deeper crisis, damaged public services such as healthcare, and hurt the living standards of millions of working and poorer people. 

It is perhaps not surprising therefore that Temer’s approval ratings are in single figures – we stand with the millions of Brazilians demanding elections now.