DHAKA: An artist of Brazil has blindfolded a hundred statues on the streets of Rio de Janeiro in red cloths as a gesture of protest amid deepening political crisis in the country.

The anonymous artist said he wanted to protect national figures from Brazil's history from seeing the shameful state of the nation, reports the BBC.

The artist said the work was not connected to protest marches against President Dilma Rousseff planned for Sunday (March 13).

The statues, which are scattered across the city, include one of Brazil’s ex-President Getulio Vargas, the country’s first dictator who ruled the country from 1930 to 1945 and sought to transform Brazil from a plantation-based economy into an industrial powerhouse.

Also blindfolded was a statue of Alberto Santos Dumond, the father of Brazilian aviation and Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil who as regent actively promoted and ultimately signed the "Lei Aurea" or Golden Law, emancipating all slaves in Brazil on 13 May 1888.

The artist who works under an art scheme called “Project Oraculo” said that he wanted to transmit that “protest is not just about street demonstrations”.

On Sunday huge protests are planned by opponents to President Dilma Rousseff to demand her impeachment on charges of having mishandled the budget and the economy.

BDST: 1135 HRS, MAR 13, 2016
SR