The demonstrations in the capital Brasilia started on Sunday with at least 5,000 people gathering in the city center. But it wasn't limited to the capital; crowds gathered in cities and towns across Brazil with the G1 news site reporting a police estimate of 419,000 in 12 cities.

Organizers claim closer to 600,000 marched in the streets, many demanding President Dilma Rousseff's reisgnation.

"Our goal is to change Brazil," Rogerio Chequer, leader of the Vem Pra Rua (Go on the Streets) group among those organizing the protests in Sao Paulo, told the AFP news agency.

"We can't take this corruption any longer, these levels of misery and suffering. You can't have millions of reais siphoned off each year," Chequer said. "That's why we've had enough."

The protests were called mostly via social media by a variety of opposition groups. They are expected to be a key indicator of public support for calls from some in Congress for President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment.

'Democratic normality'

President Dilma Rousseff faces calls to resign.

The Brazilian government stated that it observed the protests with "respect," regarding them as a symbol of "democratic normality."

During Dilma Rousseff's second term in office, the Brazilian economy slid into recession and inflation rose. Furthermore, the country was shaken by a major corruption scandal involving politicians from Rousseff's Workers' Party. The Brazilian president's popularity ratings reached a historic low.

Now the world's seventh-largest economy has had its credit rating reduced to near junk status. And with austerity measures replacing the economic dynamism in the midst of high-level corruption scandals, opposition parties smell blood with many Brazilians supporting Rousseff's impeachment.

In April, at least 600,000 people protested against Dilma Rousseff, and more than a million in March.

das/sgb (AFP, EFE, AP)