Sao Paulo and Rio roll back bus fares

Brazil’s two biggest cities agreed to revoke an increase in public transportation fares that set off demonstrations that have grown into nationwide protests against poor public services, inflation, corruption and lavish spending in stadiums to host global events.

The decisions, made separately in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, followed another day of protests across Brazil, which also included a march by demonstrators around a major international soccer game in the north eastern city of Fortaleza.

This month’s transport fare hikes, which came as Brazil struggles with annual inflation of 6.5%, stirred a groundswell of other complaints, leading to the biggest protests to sweep Brazil in more than two decades. The protests have been organized by a disparate group of activists who have rallied supporters via social media.

Sao Paulo state Governor Geraldo Alckmin, announcing a reduction in fares to their level before the hike, called it “important … so the city can have the tranquillity needed to debate issues calmly.”

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