Several thousand protest in Rio against education budget cuts

Several thousand people gathered in the center of Rio de Janeiro on Friday, May 10, to protest against stiff cuts to the education budget imposed by the administration of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Small protests have multiplied in recent days after Brazil's Education Ministry announced large budget cuts impacting all sectors of education from early childhood to post-graduate students. Officials say it is part of a wider mandatory effort from all ministries to slash public spending.

Universities were hit by a 30-percent cut of their discretionary expenses, which includes maintenance work and basic utilities, and future scholarships for Masters and PhD students were suspended.

The cuts triggered widespread criticism from worried university staff and education experts. Protesters were joined by Fernando Haddad, who ran in the last presidential race backed by the Workers' Party. Since his defeat, the former presidential candidate has rarely been seen participating in protests.

(Source: AP)

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