BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who left office with record popularity in 2010, is not faring so well in his new term and his approval ratings are steadily falling, according to a new poll. Friday.
Despite some recent good news on the economic front, the number of Brazilians who rate his government as excellent or good has fallen to 37% this month, from 39% in April and 41% in March, according to an IPEC poll. published in the O journal Globo.
Those who consider his government bad or very bad rose to 28% from 26% and 24% in the two previous IPEC polls.
Lula’s approval ratings have even plummeted in northeast Brazil, his traditional stronghold and where he won the most votes against far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro in last October’s elections.
IPEC CEO Marcia Cavallari said the slippage in Lula’s approval rating was to be expected at the start of a government that took office in January as voters adjust their hopes to reality.
“The effect of some recent positive economic indicators may not yet have been seen in practice by voters,” she said.
Brazil’s economy grew more than expected in the first quarter and inflation is slowing to a 2.5-year low, which is good news for consumers.
Lula’s minority government has struggled to form a political base in Brazil’s conservative Congress, where the powerful agricultural lobby has moved to block its promises on the environment and the protection of indigenous land rights.
Approval of the way Lula governs has fallen to 53% from 54% in April and 57% in the first poll in March, while disapproval has risen to 40% now from 37% and 35% previously.
IPEC, formerly known as the polling firm IBOPE, surveyed 2,000 people between June 1 and June 5 across Brazil.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Marguerita Choy)