Security shock halts Lula’s approval climb

After four straight months of improvement, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s approval curve has plateaued. In Quaest’s latest national survey, his approval ratings edged from 48% to 47% and disapproval ratings from 49% to 50%, a break in his recovery trend that began in June.

Two weeks ago, Rio de Janeiro saw the deadliest police action in Brazil’s history, with 121 people killed in operations across the Alemão and Penha favela chains. Most Brazilians approve of the police action, and many bristled at Lula’s reaction (the president called it a “disastrous slaughter”). 

Lula was also hurt by remarks he made days before the operation, claiming drug traffickers are “victims of the users.” While the president’s office attempted to undo the damage, 81% of Brazilian voters disagreed with Lula’s words.