RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The public clash that President Jair Bolsonaro and Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta have been engaged in for weeks on how to tackle the coronavirus crisis has a clear favorite among Brazilians.
This is reflected in the latest ‘Atlas Politico’ survey, released at a time when, once again, Mandetta’s portfolio faces tension with the mishap of a strategic secretary and growing rumors that he may leave office soon.
Conducted between Sunday and Tuesday, the survey, which included 2,000 people contacted via the Internet and with an error margin of two points plus or minus, points out that 76.2 percent of Brazilians are against a dismissal of the Minister, whose social isolation advocacy conflicts with the statements -and attitudes- of President Bolsonaro, who since the crisis onset has shown greater concern over the economic consequences of paralyzing commercial activities.
The survey released on Wednesday shows that 72.2 percent of respondents agree with Covid-19’s containment measures – among them the suspension of classes, store closures and limitation on the circulation of people.
What has changed, according to this survey, is the way Brazilians perceive the President. There is a progressive downturn in the approval of Bolsonaro, who has defied health authorities in the country and worldwide by touring Brasília over the weekends, gathering small crowds around him and eating inside establishments that are only allowed to sell or deliver food at home.
The Bolsonaro government is rated as bad or terrible by 43 percent of respondents. On February 20th, the rate was negative at 38 percent. On the other hand, currently, only 23 percent regard the President’s management as optimal or good, six points less than the 29 percent recorded on February 20th.
In addition, Bolsonaro’s personal performance is only approved by 37.6 percent of respondents, compared to 58.2 percent who disapprove of him – 4.2 percent were unable to answer.
Fear and unemployment
Other questions in the Atlas survey help to understand the popular balance favorable to Mandetta. Asked if they are afraid of contracting the coronavirus, 41.9 percent of respondents said yes, and that they even fear for their lives.
Another 31 percent also said yes, but that they are only afraid of getting sick. Only 27.1 percent said they were not afraid. However, only 13.8 percent are not afraid of losing a relative to Covid-19, while 86.2 percent concede such fear.
The numbers also show that the concern expressed by Bolsonaro regarding unemployment reverberates among Brazilians. Only 36.1 percent say their income has not been impacted in any way by the coronavirus crisis.
Half of respondents (51.6 percent) say their monthly income has decreased, while 12.3 percent say they have become unemployed.
Ministers
The survey released on Wednesday also shows that Mandetta not only has his image as a Minister improved, but he has also become the highest-rated member of the Government: 64 percent of respondents regard him positively, and only 17 percent assess him negatively.
The Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Sérgio Moro, ranks second, with a 53 percent positive rating, yet a 37 percent negative assessment. According to the daily trackings of ‘Atlas Politico’, these are the two ministers who have not lost their popularity in recent days.
The Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, ranks third with a 40 percent positive rating and a 41 percent negative assessment, just ahead of President Bolsonaro.
Source: El País