Half of Brazilians Disapprove of Government, See Economy on Wrong Track

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL -Fifty percent of the population regards President Jair Bolsonaro’s government as poor or terrible, according to an XP/Ipespe survey released on Wednesday, May 20th.

This is virtually the same figure as the April 30th survey, but it is eight percentage points higher than the April 20th survey. It is also the worst figure since the government’s inception.

The rate for those who consider the Bolsonaro administration good or great dropped from 27 percent on April 30th to 25 percent now, within the error margin of 3.2 percentage points.

Nearly equal rates of approval and disapproval have also been noted for the remainder of the term. A total of 1,000 nationwide interviews were conducted on May 16th, 17th, and 18th.

Economy and isolation

Support for social isolation as a means of tackling the pandemic remains high. According to 76 percent of respondents, it is the best way to prevent it, while 14 percent see it as excessive. Fifty-seven percent of respondents argue that isolation should be maintained until the risk of contagion becomes low.

The survey also shows a worsening outlook on the direction of the economy. The rate of those who assess that the area is on the wrong track has increased from 52 to 57 percent, while those who perceive the economy on the right path have dropped from 32 to 28 percent.

Respondents were also asked about the impact of the crisis caused by the coronavirus. For 68 percent, the worst is yet to come, while 22 percent feel that the worst is behind them. These rates have remained unchanged for a month.

Bolsonaro’s performance in the crisis is viewed as good or great by 21 percent and as poor or terrible by 58 percent, also the worst figures for the President since the start of the pandemic.

Governors’ ratings have also worsened: the rate of good/great dropped from 53 to 46 percent, while the rate of poor and terrible climbed from 16 percent to 23 percent.

Source: Exame