Protests erupted in several Brazilian cities on Wednesday after President Dilma Rousseff named her predecesso Lula da Silva, who was charged last week with money laundering and fraud as part of the probe, chief of staff and a taped conversation fed opposition claims the move was meant to shield Lula from prosecution.
With Brazil's economy mired in its worst recession in a generation, popular anger at Rousseff is mounting as an investigation into bribes and political kickbacks at state oil company Petrobras taints her inner circle.
Rousseff's appointment of Lula was slammed by opposition parties as a desperate attempt to rally support in Congress against impeachment proceedings due to start on Thursday.