Thousands take to streets in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to denounce Iranian president’s record on rights and Israel

by Rory Carroll

A crowd protests against the visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in BrasiliaProtesting against the visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Brasilia. Photograph: Andre Penner/AP

Protests greeted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Brazil at the start of a South American tour intended to bolster the Iranian president’s legitimacy and ease his country’s international isolation.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on the eve of Ahmadinejad’s arrival to denounce his record on human rights, homosexuality and Israel.

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