As Covid-19 Kills More Brazilians, Bolsonaro’s Presidency Lives On
For all the talk of impeachment, Brazil’s president wields political clout that his opposition lacks.
The case for impeachment is growing.
Photographer: Jonne Roriz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The drums of impeachment are thudding again in Brazil. Rising fury over President Jair Bolsonaro’s feckless Covid-19 strategy sent thousands of protestors to the streets last weekend even as dozens of patients were dying of asphyxiation in the stricken city of Manaus. If it were up to the country’s eager pot-bangers, social media warriors, some church leaders and assorted political discontents, Bolsonaro would no doubt be toast.
Bolsonaro’s approval rating has tumbled six to 11 points, depending on the poll, since December, to just over 30%. His rejection rate jumped eight points to 40%. Driving the funk is not just Brasilia’s listless response to a deadly second wave of the pandemic which has taken some 222,000 lives, more than in any country except the U.S., but also the end of generous emergency cash handouts on Dec. 31.