Protests and confusion mark Cunha's visit to Paraíba.

Protesters chanting "Out with Cunha" clashed with security guards at the Legislative Assembly of Paraíba; they blew whistles and threw eggs when the Speaker of the House entered the building; the protest escalated into violence when security guards tried to prevent the protesters from accessing the galleries of the House; Eduardo Cunha, who has already been the target of protests in Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo during the passage of his "Itinerant Chamber" project, attributed responsibility for the confusion to the PT (Workers' Party).

April 10, 2015, 18:50 hUpdated July 04, 2018, 22:46 pm

Protesters chanting "Out with Cunha" clashed with security guards at the Legislative Assembly of Paraíba; they blew whistles and threw eggs when the Speaker of the House entered the building; the protest escalated into violence when security guards tried to prevent the protesters from accessing the galleries of the House; Eduardo Cunha, who has already been the target of protests in Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo during the passage of his 'Itinerant Chamber' project, attributed responsibility for the confusion to the PT (Photo: Paulo Emílio)

247 - The visit of the Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), to Paraíba on Friday morning ended in turmoil when protesters opposed to the PMDB member clashed with security guards at the Paraíba Legislative Assembly. The commotion occurred when members of social movements and union members stormed the state legislature headquarters, booing the politicians present and blowing whistles. The protest escalated into violence when security guards attempted to prevent the protesters from accessing the galleries of the building.

Cunha attributed responsibility for the commotion to the PT (Workers' Party). "The aggressions promoted by the PT in Paraíba are regrettable," Cunha posted on his personal Twitter account. He also posted that a member of the PMDB youth wing had been "cowardly" attacked by PT militants. "My solidarity with the young PMDB member," he said. Due to the tumult, he did not give a speech and ended up leaving the location early. During the demonstration, posters were displayed demanding the parliamentarian's resignation.

The protesters also demonstrated against prejudice towards homosexuals, and called for President Dilma Rousseff to veto the bill regulating the outsourcing of labor in Brazil.

Upon leaving the Assembly building, Cunha declared that the protest against him had been orchestrated by state deputies Anísio Maia (PT) and Estelizabel Bezerra (PSB). He also accused the governor of Paraíba, Ricardo Coutinho (PSB), an ally of President Dilma, of failing to provide the previously requested police reinforcement.

"I find it very strange that the governor did not guarantee the security of a political event in another building, demonstrating that here [in Paraíba] the independence of the branches of government is not respected. It is regrettable that the governor has shirked his responsibility to protect public property; it is an omission, and the governor is responsible," he exclaimed.

Congresswoman Estelizabel Bezerra described Cunha's accusation as "irresponsible" and stated that she will sue the Speaker of the House.

In recent weeks, the Speaker of the House has been the target of numerous protests in various cities across the country, particularly in the states of São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul.