While the coronavirus death curve skyrocketed in Brazil, that of Jair Bolsonaro's popularity rating remained horizontal: for his followers, the president made a flawless response to the health crisis. However, the minimization by the head of state of the seriousness of the coronavirus, a " small flu " which left nearly 62,000 dead, has earned him an avalanche of criticism for three months. As well as his fierce opposition to containment measures.
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Both epidemiologists and the World Health Organization (WHO) have expressed concern about this position, considered criminal by some, while Brazil is the second country in the world where Covid-19 kills the most, behind the United States. . But according to the Datafolha polling institute, 32% of the population estimated at the end of June that the Bolsonaro government is " good or very good ", a figure that has been stable since the start of the health crisis.
For Vinicius Valle, a political science researcher, most of the president's sympathizers recognize the existence of the health danger. But their opposition to the confinement of the population and the paralysis of an economy already promised to a record recession outweighs the rest, believes the researcher, co-author of a study on bolsonarism published in June.
“ People are suffering a lot financially. And when Bolsonaro says "you can't stop Brazil from working," it speaks to people's despair , "says Valle. But it is not the same people as before the pandemic who support Bolsonaro, says the researcher. “ He lost points among those who supported him since the election. They are only 22% loyal, "he explains. On the other hand, " he won some among the lower social classes thanks to the emergency aid of 600 reais " (100 euros), paid to nearly 60 million Brazilians.
"A patriotic president"
Almost every Sunday, a handful of devout bolsonarists organize rallies in Sao Paulo, as in Brasilia. Always in the colors of the flag, green and yellow. Their rhetoric is modeled on that of the President.
They are only a few dozen to gather? It is the fault of the media, which spread fear so that people do not go out. The economy is collapsing? It's because of the governors. “ Bolsonaro paid money to the people and to the states. But state governors mismanaged that money, field hospitals are falling apart, "said Neusa, a Brazilian who doesn't want to give her full name.
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" There was no need to close anything!" “, Storms this fifties met at a pro-Bolsonaro demonstration. The Paulist did not let go for a second of her banner " Fora Doria ", " Dehors (Joao) Doria ", the governor of the State of Sao Paulo who imposed confinement.
Another protester, Lee Freitas, believes that " Bolsonaro makes wise decisions " and that he has " competent ministers ", even if he separated from two health ministers in a few weeks. “ We support this management. We are happy to have a patriotic president, applauded wherever he goes, ”said Lee Freitas, speaking of the head of state who regularly mixes with crowds, ignoring physical distancing.
Conspiracies and faithful
The coronavirus, for some bolsonarists, is also the result of a Chinese conspiracy. " It is the result of a strategy of certain media, linked to the left and Chinese communism, to demoralize conservative governments, like the Brazilian and American governments, " assures Alex Silva, an activist. " How can we explain that China has not experienced an explosive number of Covid-19 cases?" "He wonders.
Conspiracy theories circulate in Bolsonarian circles, says Vinicius Valle. " However, the most denial false information spread in Brazil (on social networks), such as that which local authorities would bury empty coffins to inflate the figures (of the pandemic) is not necessarily put forward by bolsonaristes, which shows that few people adhere to it ”, he specifies. " As soon as emergency aid ends, the popularity of Bolsonaro should decrease and be limited to the 22% of faithful who voted for him and continue to support him, " predicts the political analyst.