Protests against Jair Bolsonaro in several Brazilian cities call for his dismissal

(CNN) – Protests against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro began Saturday afternoon in dozens of Brazilian cities.

Organized by social movements and left-wing parties, the protesters are calling for Bolsonaro’s removal and more vaccines against covid-19, which has already killed more than 548,000 people in the South American country, according to Johns Hopkins University.

This Saturday’s session marks the fourth protest against Bolsonaro this year amid mounting corruption scandals in the government and a declining approval rating.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful until the afternoon, beginning around 8 a.m. on Saturday.

In Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Rio Grande do Sul, Recife and Salvador, protesters moved to the city center in the late afternoon.

Early Saturday in Sao Paulo, a group of protesters set fire to a 10-meter statue made in honor of Borba Gato, a historical figure linked to the colonization of the Brazilian Midwest who enslaved indigenous and black people. The group “Peripheral Revolution” claimed responsibility. Firefighters put out the fire without damaging the statue.

Protesters against the government of President Jair Bolsonaro in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 24, 2021. Credit: MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL / AFP via Getty Images