Protesters clash ahead of swearing-in of Lula in Brazil

Supporters of leftist leader
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clashed briefly with
opponents of his Workers' Party on Thursday
outside the presidential palace, where he was due to
be sworn in as President Dilma Rousseff's chief of
staff.
Police said they used pepper spray to stop a clash
between the rival groups and move away some 300
opposition protesters who were trying to enter the
square, occupied by more than 300 pro-government
demonstrators.
Hundreds of anti-government protesters calling for
Rousseff's impeachment and Lula's arrest also
blocked the central Avenue Paulista in Sao Paulo,
Brazil's largest city and economic hub.
Brazil's currency and stock market gained sharply on
Thursday, as a second day of protests calling for
President Dilma Rousseff's ouster boosted bets on
her removal.
The appointment of Lula to the cabinet, a move
seen by his critics as a way to shield the former
president from prosecution in a corruption
investigation, triggered large protests in several
Brazilian cities on Wednesday.
With Brazil's economy mired in its worst recession
in a generation, popular anger at Rousseff is
mounting as an investigation into bribes and
political kickbacks at state oil company Petrobras
taints her inner circle.
The corruption scandal that threatens to topple
Rousseff has divided her governing coalition and
moved her main partner, the PMDB party, closer to
breaking with her government.
Vice President Michel Temer, leader of the PMDB,
will not attend the swearing-in of Lula, his aides
said, because Rousseff appointed a party lawmaker,
Mauro Lopes, as civil aviation minister even though
a party convention on Saturday banned its members
from taking new posts in her government.