Brazilians protest as coronavirus death count tops 500,000 mark

On the day Brazil reached the milestone of 500,000 coronavirus deaths, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest against President Jair Bolsonaro, whose leadership they blame for the pandemic debacle. Demonstrations against the government were registered in at least 438 cities across all Brazilian states — and in multiple foreign cities. 

This is the second round of street protests in a month, as citizens shift from expressing their outrage on social media — and from their windows — to street demonstrations calling for Bolsonaro’s ousting.

“The coronavirus has killed more in Brazil than the atomic bomb killed in Hiroshima. But we’re talking about a disease against which there are vaccines,” one protester told The Brazilian Report, explaining why he chose to join a massive gathering — despite the sanitary hazard it presents. 

For protesters, Mr. Bolsonaro’s ongoing presidency is far more dangerous than exposing themselves to the disease. “We have to do something beyond typing on social media and posting hashtags,” says one 26-year-old. “We just can’t keep things the way they are. That’s why taking to the streets is necessary.”

The Brazilian Report followed the protest in São Paulo’s iconic Paulista Avenue. From 4 pm, crowds began forming to demand a responsible coronavirus response. Since the virus arrived in Brazil, in February 2020, the Bolsonaro administration has pushed drugs that have been shown not to be effective against...