This archive report was first published on 4 July 2020.
Brazil's Coronavirus Crisis: Bolsonaro's Unchanged Popularity ¶
Published on July 4, 2020
President Jair Bolsonaro's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been met with both praise and criticism in Brazil. Despite the country's high number of deaths and infections, his popularity has remained unchanged.
For his supporters, Bolsonaro has done nothing wrong, despite the devastating impact of the virus. They argue that the president has taken the right approach, prioritizing the economy over lockdowns and social distancing measures.
However, local epidemiologists and the World Health Organization have expressed concern about Bolsonaro's approach, citing the country's high number of cases and deaths. A poll by Datafolha at the end of June found that 32 percent of Brazilians thought Bolsonaro's government was 'good or very good,' a number that hasn't dropped since the start of the health crisis.
According to Vinicius Valle, a political science researcher, most of Bolsonaro's supporters recognize the health risk, but are deeply resistant to lockdowns due to the economic impact. 'People are suffering a lot financially, and when Bolsonaro says: 'We can't stop Brazil from working,' he's speaking to people's despair,' Valle said.
However, Bolsonaro has lost some points amongst those who supported him since the election, with only 22 percent of his supporters remaining loyal. On the other hand, he has gained some support amongst the lower social classes due to the 600 reais ($112) emergency support given to almost 60 million Brazilians.
Every Sunday in Sao Paulo and the capital Brasilia, Bolsonaro supporters hit the streets draped in the nation's flag to show their appreciation. They argue that the media has stoked fear and discouraged people from heading out, and that the economy is crashing due to the fault of state governors.
Some Bolsonaro supporters have even gone as far as to claim that the coronavirus is a Chinese conspiracy. 'It's the result of the strategy of certain media, linked to the left and Chinese communism, to demoralize conservative governments like the Brazilian and American governments,' said demonstrator Alex Silva, 46.
However, according to Valle, the most negationist false information circulating in Brazil, like the one claiming local authorities have buried empty coffins to inflate the virus death numbers, are not necessarily pushed by Bolsonarists. 'But the most negationist false information circulating in Brazil, like the one claiming local authorities have buried empty coffins to inflate the (virus death) numbers, are not necessarily pushed by Bolsonarists, which shows that few people believe in it,' Valle said.
