BRASILIA/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazilians increasingly disapprove of President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, and overwhelmingly support governors and health officials he has attacked for advocating social-distancing measures, two polls showed on Friday.
FILE PHOTO: Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro reacts while meeting supporters as he arrives at Alvorada Palace, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil, April 1, 2020. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
The surveys suggest Bolsonaro’s attacks on governors and even his own health minister may have backfired. Bolsonaro continues to rail against state and municipal shutdowns, calling them economically disastrous responses to an overhyped risk.
Bolsonaro’s coronavirus performance has been “bad” or “awful” according to 39% of respondents surveyed this week, up from 33% last month, according to pollster Datafolha. Those who consider his response to the health crisis “good” or “great” slipped to 33% from 35% previously.
By contrast, the survey showed approval of governors rising to 58% from 54%, while support for the crisis response by the Health Ministry soared to 76% from 55% in the last survey.
On Friday, the count