Opponents of the Brazilian government take part in a protest demanding the resignation of President Dilma Rousseff on March 13, 2016 at the Esplanada dos Ministerios in Brasilia. More than a million people are expected to flood Brazil's streets in massive anti-government protests calling for President Dilma Rousseff's ouster over a corruption scandal and the crumbling economy. Picture:AFP/EVARISTO SA
Opponents of the Brazilian government take part in a protest demanding the resignation of President Dilma Rousseff on March 13, 2016 at the Esplanada dos Ministerios in Brasilia. More than a million people are expected to flood Brazil's streets in massive anti-government protests calling for President Dilma Rousseff's ouster over a corruption scandal and the crumbling economy. Picture:AFP/EVARISTO SA

SAO PAULO — Supporters of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff called mass street rallies on Friday in her defence, counter-attacking in a political crisis that threatens to drive her from office.

As police fired tear gas and stun grenades to keep at bay angry protesters demanding Ms Rousseff’s resignation late on Thursday, her embattled left-wing support base mobilised.

They called rallies for Friday in more than 30 cities — a chance for a show of strength after 3-million people joined in antigovernment demonstrations last weekend.

The rival protests followed a day of political drama as legislators on Thursday relaunched impeachment proceedings against Ms Rousseff.

The courts, meanwhile, blocked her bid to bring her powerful predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva into the Cabinet.

Ms Rousseff and her allies are fighting off corruption allegations and struggling with discontent over a deep recession.

The setbacks for the leftist leader came a day after new evidence in a corruption scandal: a wiretapped telephone call that pointed to connivance between Ms Rousseff and her predecessor and mentor Mr Lula.

Ms Rousseff swore in Mr Lula as her new chief of staff on Thursday.

A judge in Brasilia issued a ruling suspending that appointment over allegations that she was trying to protect him from corruption charges by giving him ministerial immunity.

That ruling was overturned late on Thursday on appeal, but a separate federal court in Rio de Janeiro upheld another lawsuit blocking Mr Lula’s appointment.

Ms Rousseff accused her enemies of mounting a "coup" against her.

Thursday’s events plunged Ms Rousseff’s government into deeper uncertainty as she struggles with public anger, economic chaos and the splintering of her coalition in congress.

Mr Lula and Ms Rousseff have between them governed Brazil for the past 13 years. He presided over a boom, but political and economic crises are now gripping Latin America’s biggest economy.

Antigovernment protests erupted on Wednesday when an anticorruption judge leaked a wire-tapped phone call between Ms Rousseff and Mr Lula that suggested she appointed him to the new post to save him from arrest.

The biggest counter-demos on Friday were expected in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, called by Ms Rousseff’s Workers’ Party, the major CUT union and other groups.

Organisers said in a statement the demonstrations aimed to fend off a "coup" and to defend Ms Rousseff’s social policies. The CUT in Sao Paulo vowed the rallies would be peaceful.

Brazil grabbed world headlines in 2013 when it was gripped by mass riots against corruption and increased transport costs.

Ms Rousseff was scheduled to attend a ceremony in northeastern Brazil to unveil a new social housing project on Friday morning.

Brazil’s lower house of Congress launched a committee on Thursday to consider impeaching Ms Rousseff over corruption accusations.

She is accused of manipulating the government’s accounts to boost public spending during her 2014 re-election campaign.

The drive to impeach her was launched by the opposition in December but had been halted by the courts over procedural issues which were finally resolved late on Wednesday.

"The putschists’ shouting won’t make me veer from my path or bring us to our knees," said Ms Rousseff as she was heckled at Mr Lula’s swearing-in.

"If they violate the rights of the president, what will they do with those of the citizens? That is how coups start."

Mr Lula, who led Brazil from 2003 to 2011, is charged with accepting a luxury apartment and a country home as bribes from executives implicated in a multibillion-dollar corruption scam at state oil company Petrobras.

Investigators say construction companies conspired with Petrobras executives to overbill the oil giant to the tune of $2bn, paying huge bribes to politicians and parties along the way.

Mr Lula denies involvement in the scandal.

AFP