Brazil's Rousseff proposes political reforms

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff has proposed a referendum on political reform, following nationwide protests.

Ms Rousseff also pledged to invest 50 billion reais ($25bn, £16bn) in public transport, one of the protesters' main grievances.
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Ms Rousseff is now meeting mayors and state governors to find a solution.

Earlier, she met leaders of the group that started the street protests more than a week ago.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23041396

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That's more responsive to protests than many governments are.

[Judi Lynn]

1. US$23 billion hike for transport after Brazil protests

US$23 billion hike for transport after Brazil protests
9:49 AM Tuesday Jun 25, 2013

Under pressure after more than a week of nationwide protests, Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff has said her government will spend US$23 billion more on public transportation, promised to push a plebiscite on political reform and announced five core areas her government will focus on to improvements to government services.

Rousseff made the announcement after meeting with leaders of a free-transit activist group that launched the first demonstrations more than a week ago. They said they would continue to protest, including lending their support to a demonstration in Sao Paulo organised by other groups.

The president also opened a meeting of governors and mayors from 26 capital cities to discuss ways to make deep improvements.

"I mainly want to repeat that my government is listening to democratic voices. We must learn to hear the voices of the street,'' Rousseff told the governors and mayors. "We all must, without exception, understand these signals with humility and accuracy.''

More:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10892800

[dipsydoodle]

2. Dilma Rousseff proposes referendum on political reform

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has proposed a referendum on political reform and a new £17bn public transport programme in her latest attempt to mollify the protest movement that brought more than a million people on to the streets last week.

After a meeting with mayors and governors of cities that have experienced the often violent unrest, the president also promised new measures on health and job creation.

With four deaths confirmed so far from the continuing protests, the president has called for peace and pledged to respond to the demands of the demonstrators.

"Brazil is ripe to advance," she said in a statement released by her office on Monday. "We must also put a priority on tougher measures to combat corruption in all spheres."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/25/brazil-president-dilma-rousseff-reform