
The leaders of the “Free Fares” movement that triggered the worst wave of street protests in two decades rocking the Brazilian government to its foundations said their meeting with President Dilma Rousseff was ‘unsatisfactory’ because there were “no concrete proposals”.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff proposed on Monday a popular referendum to implement sweeping political reforms in response to the country's largest public protests in 20 years. Rousseff called for a public vote to eventually amend Brazil's constitution as she tries to seize the momentum in a national debate set off by two weeks of increasingly disruptive demonstrations.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff promised on Friday to hold a dialogue with members of a protest movement sweeping the country, but also said she would do whatever is necessary to maintain order.

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has called for an urgent meeting of her main ministers Friday morning to address the effects of the current demonstrations through out Brazil which on Thursday evening convened over a million people in eighty cities.

Brazil's biggest protests in two decades intensified on Thursday despite government concessions meant to quell the demonstrations, as over 300,000 people took to the streets of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and tens of thousands more flooded an estimated one hundred cities.

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.

As the threat of massive protests in Brazil’s major cities continues, President Dilma Rousseff early Tuesday tried to defuse the situation by acknowledging the need for better public services, more responsive governance and at the same time praising Brazilians commitment to a strong democracy.

United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has asked Brazilian authorities to react with moderation to the social protests that have spread through out the country and at the same time has called on demonstrators to avoid using violence to get their message heard.

Demonstrators clashed with police in central Rio do Janeiro on Monday evening as more than 200,000 people turned out to the streets of major Brazilian cities to protest the billions of dollars spent on the Confederations Cup, higher public transport costs, corruption and poor services.

President Dilma Rousseff ratified Latinamerica and Mercosur as Brazil’s foreign policy priorities, but at the same time emphasizing the ‘excellent relations’ with the United States and the European Union.