Brazil protests: Artist blindfolds statues in uproar over corruption scandal

Tim Hume
By Marilia Brocchetto and Tim Hume, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 2:57 PM EDT, Mon March 14, 2016
An anonymous artist in Brazil has blindfolded statues across the city of Rio de Janeiro in an effort to silently and peacefully protest the country's growing corruption problem.
An anonymous artist in Brazil has blindfolded statues across the city of Rio de Janeiro in an effort to silently and peacefully protest the country's growing corruption problem.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
Indian civil rights and freedom movement leader Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the northeast of the city was one of the statues that was blindfolded.
Indian civil rights and freedom movement leader Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the northeast of the city was one of the statues that was blindfolded.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The statue of Brazilian Navy Adm. Saldanha da Gama was one of the statues blindfolded on Saturday morning. Da Gama was killed in action during one of Brazil's earliest civil war.
The statue of Brazilian Navy Adm. Saldanha da Gama was one of the statues blindfolded on Saturday morning. Da Gama was killed in action during one of Brazil's earliest civil war.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The artist behind the blindfolds says they act as a way to shield the eyes of those who cannot do anything to change the country. All others, he says, have the ability to do something to change the "shameful" state the country is in.
The artist behind the blindfolds says they act as a way to shield the eyes of those who cannot do anything to change the country. All others, he says, have the ability to do something to change the "shameful" state the country is in.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The statue of Brazilian compositor and singer Tom Jobim along the famous Ipanema Beach was one of the statues blindfolded over the weekend. Jobim is the composer for "Girl from Ipanema."
The statue of Brazilian compositor and singer Tom Jobim along the famous Ipanema Beach was one of the statues blindfolded over the weekend. Jobim is the composer for "Girl from Ipanema."
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
This is just one of several protests that have taken place in Brazil over the past couple of years. Brazilians are angry over an eroding economy and a corruption scandal that has implicated politicians, business leaders and even the country's former and current presidents.
This is just one of several protests that have taken place in Brazil over the past couple of years. Brazilians are angry over an eroding economy and a corruption scandal that has implicated politicians, business leaders and even the country's former and current presidents.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The Oracle Project happened just one day before thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in Rio de Janeiro, and many other cities across the country, demanding the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff step down.
The Oracle Project happened just one day before thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in Rio de Janeiro, and many other cities across the country, demanding the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff step down.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The artist behind the project told CNN he doesn't understand how politicians can sleep at night or look at themselves in the mirror knowing that there are people suffering from hunger or without an education, while the money originally allocated for these programs gets misspent elsewhere.
The artist behind the project told CNN he doesn't understand how politicians can sleep at night or look at themselves in the mirror knowing that there are people suffering from hunger or without an education, while the money originally allocated for these programs gets misspent elsewhere.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The artist also believes the Brazilian people deserve a government that works hard for its citizens and that corrupt politicians should be removed from office and punished.
The artist also believes the Brazilian people deserve a government that works hard for its citizens and that corrupt politicians should be removed from office and punished.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
The statue of Brazilian writer Carlos Drummond de Andrade, adjacent to the famous Copacabana Beach, was blindfolded over the weekend.
The statue of Brazilian writer Carlos Drummond de Andrade, adjacent to the famous Copacabana Beach, was blindfolded over the weekend.
Courtesy Gabriel Panazio
Artist blindfolds statues in Brazil

Story highlights

Some statues in Rio de Janeiro have been blindfolded

An artist is protesting against a corruption scandal in Brazil

Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians take to the streets in nationwide protests

CNN  — 

A corruption scandal that has stirred protests in Brazil is hard to watch – even the statues in Rio de Janeiro can’t look.

About 100 statues throughout the city were blindfolded as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in massive weekend protests across the country.

Statues of former leaders, writers and even international figures have had red blindfolds placed around their faces.

It is the work of a Brazilian artist, who asked to remain anonymous and who described the effort as a silent protest.

Huge turnout at demonstrations

The protests Sunday saw huge crowds dressed in the green and yellow of Brazil’s flag flood the streets in cities from Manaus, deep in the Amazon jungle in the north, to Porto Alegre in the south, calling for President Dilma Rousseff to resign.

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Related video Mass anti-government protests in Brazil

The demonstrations followed the announcement of a formal investigation into former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over an alleged bribery scheme involving the state-owned oil company Petrobras.

The scandal has embroiled dozens of the country’s leading businessmen and politicians, many from the current and former presidents’ Workers’ Party, or PT.

Protesters carried giant balloons depicting Lula da Silva dressed in prison garb. The ex-leader has staunchly denied the accusations.

But the allegations against Lula da Silva have led to mounting pressures against Rousseff, his hand-picked successor.

But the President, who once was Lula da Silva’s chief of staff and energy minister, told reporters Friday she had no plans to resign.

Shielding the eyes of the powerless

The artist behind the blindfold protest told CNN that his so-called Oracle Project is meant to shield the eyes of those who cannot do anything to change the country.

Anti-government protestors flood Sao Paulo's streets Sunday.
Anti-government protestors flood Sao Paulo's streets Sunday.
Mario Tama/Getty Images South America/Getty Images

But in contrast to the statues, Brazilians have the ability to do something to change the “shameful” state of the country, the artist said.

The artist said the mounting protests show something is wrong with the way politicians are running Brazil.

The project does not take sides on any political party activities, the artist said, but it is “against corruption” and believes in a new “road to build a better future.”