Erdogan claims bankers and foreign powers behind unrest in Turkey and Brazil

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has blamed a wave of anti-government protests in Turkey on a foreign-led plot to destabilise his government, suggested that protest-hit Brazil was the victim of the same alleged conspiracy.

Erdogan was addressing tens of thousands of his supporters in the Black Sea coastal city of Samsun, the latest stop in a series of rallies he has called to shore up his political support.

The protests in Turkey erupted three weeks ago after riot police brutally cracked down on peaceful environmental activists who opposed plans to develop a park next to Istanbul's Taksim Square. The demonstrations have turned into expressions of discontent with what critics say is Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian bent since taking power a decade ago.

Thousands of protesters returned to Taksim Square on Saturday for a memorial for at least four people - three demonstrators and one police officer - killed during the protests.

Brazil, meanwhile, has been hit by mass rallies set off this month by a 10-cent increase in bus and subway fares in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and elsewhere. The protests soon grew into widespread frustration in Brazil over a range of issues, including high taxes, poor public services, and huge government spending for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Protests continued on Saturday despite President Dilma Rousseff, vowing to improve public services and fight harder against corruption. Rallies were held in over 100 cities.