Social Communication Minister Paulo Pimenta spoke about Genial/Quaest poll; 35% rated government positively and 34% negatively

03/07/2024

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President Lula — Foto: Cristiano Mariz/Agência O Globo

Social Communication Minister Paulo Pimenta acknowledged on Wednesday that President Lula’s drop in popularity in the Genial/Quaest poll released on Wednesday (6) is related to his comments on the war in Gaza.

Weeks ago, President Lula compared the situation of the Palestinian people to the Holocaust, as the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis in World War II became known.

Despite this, Mr. Pimenta downplayed the results of the poll, stating that they were “not surprising” to the Lula administration and that the polls had not yet “reflected” any alleged change in Brazilian society’s perception of the massacre against the Palestinians. “We are not going to stop denouncing this issue [the war in Gaza]. We’re not going to change our opinion of Israel because of a cyclical issue. The poll was conducted on February 24, and since then the scenario has changed. I understand that the poll reflects an analysis of our position [on the Israel issue], but over time there has been a greater understanding of President Lula’s comments,” he argued.

The opinion poll released today shows that President Lula begins the second year of his term with a positive evaluation of his government at 35% and a negative one at 34%. Of those interviewed by the institute, 28% consider the administration as average, and 3% did not respond. However, in December 2023, 36% had a positive evaluation of the Lula administration, and 29% had a negative one. Another 32% stated that the administration was average.

Among respondents, evangelicals have the most negative perception of the Lula administration: 48% rate the government as negative and 22% as positive. Among Catholics, 42% view the government positively and 28% negatively.

*Por Renan Truffi — Brasília

Source: Valor International

https://valorinternational.globo.com/