An estimated nationwide protest of over 1 million people has erupted in the country of Brazil, and so far, the crowd shows little signs of backing down. The chief issue at hand is a populace that believes its government is not properly handling its finances.

The protests started over a fairly inconspicuous issue: a mere 10 cent hike in bus fares imposed by the government. That additional tax on Brazil's citizens, however, was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, and now the city is in disarray in the aftermath of that decision.

"There are no politicians who speak for us," said Jamaime Schmitt, an engineer. "This is not just about bus fares any more. We pay high taxes and we are a rich country, but we can't see this in our schools, hospitals and roads."

The Brazilian government has since backtracked on its proposition to raise bus fares, but it seems to be far too little, far too late. Brazilians have been angry with the way their government has handled itself for quite some time, and now that they have an outlet, it will take a lot more than simply not imposing a fare increase to quell the civilian's anger.

The protests come during a very important time for the South American country. The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be held there one year from now, and in 2016, Brazil will host the Summer Olympics. Government officials are scrambling to make sure that they represent themselves as capable hosts.

The protesters have other ideas, however, and the world now has a critical eye focused on Brazil. President Dilma Rousseff has decided to postpone a political trip she had planned for Japan in order to hold an emergency meeting after one protester was killed this week during the mayhem.

"She has ultimately decided to postpone this trip, which would have involved several days of travel. She has decided to stay in Brazil due to current events," a source in Rousseff's office told AFP.

"I know that in principle staging the Cups is good for Brazil. This should bring development and money. But for decades, the governments we have had have just wasted money," explained Thiago, a 28-year-old medical student.

The marches started two weeks ago and have quickly gained steam in this country of 194 million inhabitants. Though they were relatively peaceful at first, the protests have now started to become increasingly violent, and there is worry that this first death of a protester will not be the last.