Throughout June 2013, nationwide protests were held over increases in bus fares. The protesters were mainly part of an organization called the Free Fare Movement and included students and political activists from leftist parties. The Free Fare Movement had been pushing for either decreasing public transportation fares or completely abolishing them and paying for them with tax increases.
The most intense protests happened in São Paulo, where dozens of demonstrators were arrested. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to separate thousands of protestors. Several journalists were injured. Reoccurring protests also happened in Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Natal and Goiânia. The protests, which became larger as the month went on, were the biggest Brazil had seen in twenty years.
On June 25, 2013, President Dilma Rousseff attempted to address the concerns of protestors by suggesting changes to the countrys political system. Rousseff met with members of the Free Fare Movement and proposed a Congressional overhaul as well as a change to campaign-finance methods. She also suggested that the government spend $22 billion in public transit improvements, including building subways. Finally, she proposed increasing political corruption penalties, which has become another chief concern of the protestors. Announcing her proposals in a televised address after meeting with the Free Fare Movement, Rousseff said, Now the people out on the streets want more.
