RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 3, 2021 (BSS/AFP) - Tens of thousands of Brazilians
took to the streets around the country Saturday, once again calling for the
ouster of unpopular President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the
coronavirus pandemic, among other issues.

  Large crowds gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and dozens of
other towns and cities as part of the "Bolsonaro Out National Campaign,"
which is backed by a dozen left-wing political parties and labor groups.

  Among other issues, the right-wing president has come under stinging
criticism for his handling of the pandemic, which has claimed nearly 600,000
lives here.

  Hundreds of people marched through the central Rio de Janeiro neighborhood
of Candelaria, shouting "Bolsonaro out!" which was also emblazoned on several
large banners.

  "We're going to get him out. The hope of the people here in the streets is
to put pressure on legislators so that they call for impeachment," 69-year-
old retired professor Elizabeth Simoes told AFP.

  More than 100 requests for the impeachment of Bolsonaro have been filed
with the Chamber of Deputies, but its leader Arthur Lira, a government ally,
has refused to take any of them up.

  The Supreme Court has ordered several investigations into Bolsonaro and his
aides, including for spreading false information.

  In Sao Paulo, tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday afternoon on
the central Paulista Avenue, including former cabinet minister Ciro Gomes.

  "Bolsonaro is destroying the national economy," said the center-left
politician, calling for unity. "He fills Brazil with shame abroad and is
responsible for the death of almost 600,000 Brazilians" from Covid-19.

  Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators gathered along the Esplanade of
Ministries in Brasilia.

  Local media counted protests in 24 of Brazil's 27 states, and in 84 cities,
including 14 state capitals.

  Red flags of the Workers' Party of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva, or Lula, could be seen Saturday, along with Brazilian flags and the
signs of several other left-wing and centrist parties often seen at protests
against the far-right Bolsonaro.

  - 'Can't stand this government' -

  In recent months, protests led by leftist movements have demanded
Bolsonaro's impeachment due to his mismanagement of the pandemic. But
Saturday's demonstrations were also against a hike in food and fuel prices,
as well as for relief for the 14.1 million unemployed people throughout the
country.

  "The population is going hungry, and we can't stand this government any
longer," said Isadora Lessa, 22, in Rio.

  "What is the importance of being here? That he knows he doesn't have
unanimity, that he's going to have a hard time getting elected again," said
Marcelo Werneck, who joined the protests in Rio in memory of the "friends and
family" who died of Covid-19.

  "If he doesn't face an impeachment, he loses the election in 2022," Werneck
added.

  Besieged by judicial investigations and the economic crisis, Bolsonaro's
popularity has plummeted in recent months to 22 percent, its lowest level
since he took office in January 2019.

  But backers of the president have also made themselves known in recent
weeks, as around 125,000 of them gathered in Brasilia and Sao Paulo September
7 in a show of support for Bolsonaro.

  A mid-September opinion poll by the Datafolha Institute found that
Bolsonaro has 26 percent support compared with Lula's 44 percent, just one
year ahead of the presidential vote.