Brazil: Poll Shows Lula's Approval at All-Time Low

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7 days ago

Above: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Image copyright: Evaristo Sa/Contributor/AFP via Getty Imagesstory last updated 6 days ago

The Facts

A Datafolha survey released on Friday found that less than a quarter of Brazilians approve of the government of Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 24% — the worst results the pollster ever registered for him across his three terms in office.
Lula now has a net approval rating of minus 17%, down from +1 last December, as support for him declined among key demographics — 44% to 29% among low-income voters, 53% to 38% among low-educated adults, and 49% to 33% among voters in the Northeast region.
This comes as the Brazilian government was hit last month by a political crisis over a now-retracted push to expand oversight of instant digital transactions, especially after a video from a conservative lawmaker opposing the measure went viral.

The Spin

Right narrative

Lula's latest approval ratings are shocking — after all, it's hard to understand how one in four Brazilians approves his disastrous administration. Since the never-exonerated convicted felon returned to office, Brazil has lost moral authority in foreign relations and renounced fiscal restraint. The country's democracy is eroding, and the poorest are suffering the most as inflation gains speed.

Wall Street Journal

Left narrative

Since his historic comeback two years ago, Lula has overseen strong growth in a full-employment economy. Naturally, some people express discontent with recent increases in food prices, but that alone doesn't explain the plunge in his approval ratings. Brazil's far-right opposition has spread disinformation about the government, affecting its popularity.

Bloomberg