‘One million’ at rally in Rio

Press, 12 April 1984, Page 11

‘One million’ at rally in Rio

NZPA-Reuter Rio de Janeiro

One million people had taken part yesterday in a rally demanding direct elections, Brazilian Opposition leaders said in Rio de Janeiro, making it the biggest demonstration since the Armed Forces ousted the last civilian government 20 years ago.

The police estimated that 500.000 people had attended the rally in Rio. It was staged as a high note in an Opposition campaign for direct elections two weeks before Parliamentary debate on April 26 on a proposal to amend the Constitution.

Under the proposal, a successor to the President,

General Joao Figueiredo, would be elected by direct popular vote rather than by the electoral college controlled by the militarybacked governing party. It has virtually no chance of passing, according to members of Parliament.

But members of the ruling Social Democrat Party addressed the cheerful

crowd along with Opposition governors and deputies, evidence of the defections which have been taking place in the party on the direct vote issue. In cities across Brazil billboards set up in central squares keep the score of deputies and senators who have pledged to vote in favour of the amendment.