Thousands Boo Brazil’s Leader at Parade : Scandal: Opponents deny organizing protests against embattled Collor. They say they wanted to avoid angering military.

Thousands of demonstrators booed scandal-plagued President Fernando Collor de Mello at a military parade Monday and called for his resignation as Independence Day protests erupted around the country.

Opposition leaders said the protests were spontaneous. They said that plans for huge anti-government rallies were dropped to avoid antagonizing military leaders, who have discreetly endorsed a campaign to remove the president.

“The military is in a good position, and we don’t want to create problems with them,” said Rep. Jose Genoino of the Socialist Workers Party.

“We didn’t organize anything,” said Jair Meneguelli, head of the radical leftist Central Workers Union, Brazil’s biggest labor group. “A demonstration could cause conflicts, and that only interests the government.”

Collor, 43, is accused of receiving millions of dollars from a slush fund run by his 1989 campaign treasurer, Paulo Cesar Farias.

Congress is to vote on the question of impeachment by October. Meanwhile, Atty. Gen. Aristides Junqueira will decide whether to recommend filing criminal charges against the president for corruption and criminal association.

Collor denies any wrongdoing and says he will serve out his term, which ends in 1995. He took office in 1990 as the first freely elected leader in three decades.

A nationwide movement to oust Collor has drawn millions to the streets and united nearly all sectors of society, from students and church officials to big business and the military.

On Monday, Collor was greeted with a chorus of boos, whistles and shouts as he took the viewing platform in front of the Army Ministry.

Top generals reportedly tried to dissuade him from attending the Independence Day parade, fearing protests or insubordination among soldiers who might refuse to salute the commander in chief.

Collor was joined by Cabinet members, including his three military ministers. Congressional leaders were absent, as was Vice President Itamar Franco.

The president ignored the shouts calling for his indictment and resignation from some 3,000 protesters barely 100 yards away. Many were dressed in black as a sign of mourning.

Collor’s military chief of staff, Gen. Agenor Homem de Carvalho, had proposed banning anyone dressed in black from the parade. The idea was dropped as unenforceable.

However, police confiscated banners and flags reading “Collor Get Out” and pamphlets urging his resignation. No violence was reported.

Presidential press spokesman Etevaldo Dias said the protests were “normal” and “part of democracy.”