Smartraveller has issued a fresh update for those headed to Brazil, warning travellers to watch out for protests on the country’s independence day.
The government’s travel updates website said Brazilian authorities are expecting large-scale protests in a number of cities in the lead up to and on Brazil’s Independence Day, on 7 September.
Smartraveller has advised travellers to follow local authorities’ instructions and review its guidance on staying safe during demonstrations.
However, the website did not change its overall advice for the destination, which remains at “exercise a high degree of caution” due to high crime rates.
According to local media, Brasil’s Independence day is expected to be marked by anti-democratic protests led by its president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has promised to take his supporters to the streets to challenge the country’s electoral system.
Bolsonaro has ordered the military to hold its annual parade along Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, where he plans to hold the rally instead of their usual downtown route, according to Reuters, in what is being seen as a test of the armed force’s loyalty.
