In Brazil 76% support impeaching Bolsonaro if he disregards court order – Datafolha survey

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A survey conducted by Brazil’s Datafolha firm shows that 76% say that President Jair Bolsonaro should be impeached if he disregards a court order, while 21% think that he should not be punished in these circumstances and 3% could not give an opinion.

The survey, which was conducted in 190 cities, heard 3,677 voters between September 13 and 15. The margin of error is two percentage points plus or minus.

The initiative for the survey came after the protests on September 7, Brazil’s independence holiday, when President Jair Bolsonaro stated that he would not comply with any judicial orders from Federal Supreme Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes. If this occurs, it would constitute a “crime of accountability”, the statutory basis for impeachment.

On the day, Bolsonaro participated in actions in Brasília and São Paulo, stating that the president of the STF, Luiz Fux, should discipline de Moraes, under penalty of seeing an intervention in his government branch.

According to the survey, the group most incisive about impeachment are 16 to 24-year-olds, with 86% defending the impeachment; the poorest (82%); and those who disapprove of the president (94%).

The most tolerant of disobeying the judiciary are the wealthiest, with 32% not seeing the need for impeachment; businessmen (39%); and those who approve Bolsonaro (59%).