Sao Paulo, December 14 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Brazil's opposition may have suffered a setback on Sunday, after protests calling for the ousting of President Dilma Rousseff struggled to get people into the streets.

Local media outlets estimated some 6,000 protesters rallied in Sao Paulo, while even smaller demonstrations took place in other major cities including Rio de Janeiro.

The turnout was significantly lower than expected, with previous protests drawing hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters.

The latest protests were the first nationwide demonstrations since impeachment proceedings began against Rousseff. The lackluster turnout could spell good news for the president, who has been accused by the opposition of violating a technical budgetary regulation.

Rousseff has fervently denied any wrongdoing, and her supporters have accused opposition legislators of attempting to mount a parliamentary coup.

The next stage of impeachment proceedings are set to be determined by committee in the federal Chamber of Deputies. If the committee approves the measures, the opposition will need a two thirds majority in the chamber before the Senate could begin a six month trial.

Proceedings are currently frozen until the Supreme Court rules on a controversial ballot from the chamber's committee.

The political standoff comes amid an economic downturn in South America's largest economy, after years of rising living conditions under successive left-wing governments.