Protesters flooded Sao Paulo’s Avenida Paulista on the evening of May 17 after Brazilian newspaper Globo reported secret recordings linked President Michel Temer to a corruption scandal.
Protesters called for Temer’s impeachment after Globo reported that two businessman had shared a recording of Temer allegedly approving payments to buy the silence of former lower house Speaker Eduardo Cunha with prosecutors. Cunha, who led the impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff, was convicted of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion in March.
Cunha faces further charges relating to the Operation Car Wash investigation that has linked alleged illegal payments made by state-owned oil company Petrobras to dozens of high profile Brazilian politicians.
The presidential press office issued a statement denying the accusations.
