Rousseff salutes Brazil protests, cities cut bus fares

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff attends a ceremony announcing Brazil's new mining bill at Planalto Palace in Brasilia June 18, 2013. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff on Tuesday sought to defuse a massive protest movement sweeping Brazil, acknowledging the need for better public services and more responsive governance as demonstrations continued in some cities around the country.

Speaking the morning after more than 200,000 Brazilians marched in over a half-dozen cities, Rousseff said her government remains committed to social change and is listening attentively to the many grievances expressed at the demonstrations.