Thousands back Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff over Petrobras Friday March 13,2015

 

 "In defence of democracy! Carry on, Dilma!" reads the banner at a march in Sao Paulo

Thousands of government supporters across Brazil have been taking part in marches to show their backing for President Dilma Rousseff.

The march in Rio was organised by student and workers' unions and the landless movement

 

 The Sao Paulo march was held in the city's financial centre

A demonstrator shows a placard that reads, "Stay Dilma, with the power of the People" during a demonstration in defense of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff and the state-run oil company Petrobras

Pro-government demonstrations are going ahead in 14 Brazilian states. Most of them have been called by unions that support the governing Workers' Party.

The opposition has called for Dilma Rousseff's impeachment over a a huge corruption scandal in the state-owned oil company, Petrobras.

Most of the politicians accused of taking bribes are from Brazil's governing coalition.

Dilma Rousseff was head of Petrobras for seven years, when much of the corruption is believed to have taken place.

But Dilma Rousseff has not been implicated in the corruption scandal

Anti-government marches are expected to take place on Sunday March 15,2015. The protests on Sunday could deepen a political crisis that has given rise to calls for Rousseff's impeachment for not stopping a multibillion-dollar graft racket at Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the oil company is formally called.

Growing political uncertainty further weakened Brazil's currency on Friday. The real hit 3.28 per dollar, its weakest level since April 2003.
 

Note

According to the investigation, high-profile politicians also took a share of the money siphoned off from the oil company.

In December 2014, prosecutors charged executives from six of the country's largest construction firms for allegedly channelling kickbacks into a Petrobras scheme to pay politicians.

The Supreme Court last week approved the investigation of 54 people for their alleged involvement in the kickback scheme.

The list was prepared by the Attorney General, Rodrigo Junot, who alleged that private companies paid corrupt officials in order to get lucrative Petrobras contracts

Attorney General, Rodrigo Junot's list includes Senate President Renan Calheiros, President of the Chamber of Deputies Eduardo Cunha, former Energy Minister Edison Lobao and former President Fernando Collor de Mello.