Brazil approves austerity after violent protests

BRAZIL’S Senate yesterday approved the cornerstone of an austerity program aimed at putting the country’s finances in order, but violent clashes between police and protesters highlighted growing tensions.

The upper house easily passed the measure – a 20-year government spending freeze – by 61 to 14 votes. The measure will still have to be put to a second later vote to become law.

“This constitutional amendment is fundamental for control- ling public spending,” said Senate Speaker Renan Calheiros, a key figure in centre-right President Michel Temer’s PMDB party.

Temer says the freeze, which he wants followed by even more controversial pension reform and possible cutbacks, is needed to prevent Latin America’s biggest economy from bankruptcy.

“People think public money belongs to nobody, but in reality it belongs to us all and we can’t spend more than we collect,” agreed Senator Jose Reguffe.

But violent scenes outside the Senate in the capital Brasilia underlined fears in some sectors that austerity will just worsen conditions in a society already suffering from a deep recession.

As crowds of protesters converged on the legislature, riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades. Squads of officers occasionally beat and kicked isolated demonstrators.

Some demonstrators hurled objects at police, turning over a car and setting fire to at least two others. Windows were broken at several ministries. Thick clouds of tear gas eventually drove away the crowd – estimated by police to reach 10,000 people – but small groups continued to confront the security forces.

Temer came to power this year after the bruising impeachment of president Dilma Rousseff. Temer has said he has a mandate to move Brazil away from Rousseff’s leftist policies, but opponents accuse him of lacking legitimacy.