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Poll: Brazil President's Approval Rating Among Worst Since Return to
Democracy

Reuters

   SAO PAULO - Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is among the
   least popular since the country's return to democracy three decades
   ago, but his rating in a poll released on Monday showed his numbers
   stabilizing.

   The Datafolha polling institute found that 33% of respondents said
   Bolsonaro was doing a "great or good" job. That is technically tied
   with the 32% in an April Datafolha poll.

   Those who think Bolsonaro is doing a "bad or awful" job rose to 33%
   from 30% in the April poll.

   The latest polls show Bolsonaro technically tied with former President
   Fernando Henrique Cardoso as the leader with the least support at this
   point in his first term. Thirty-four percent of those asked by
   Datafolha in June 1995 thought Cardoso was doing "good or great."

   The poll of 2,086 people across Brazil on July 4-5 has a margin of
   error of 2 percentage points.

   Bolsonaro easily won last year's election over leftist rival Fernando
   Haddad, who stepped in to take the top place on the Workers Party
   ticket after a graft conviction prevented imprisoned former President
   Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from running. Datafolha polls last year
   showed Lula far more popular than Bolsonaro - even after he had been
   imprisoned.

   Lula's conviction has come under scrutiny since the publication of
   leaked messages last month by news website The Intercept Brasil showed
   former federal judge and current Justice Minister Sergio Moro stepping
   over ethical, and possibly legal, lines by coaching the prosecution in
   Lula's trial.

   Moro, who presided over the case and found Lula guilty, has
   alternatively argued that the leaked messages show no improper behavior
   to questioning their authenticity, is facing withering criticism.

   On Monday, Moro's press office said he would take the week of July
   15-19 off for "personal" reasons, and later added he was spending time
   with his family. Moro's wife and children do not live with him in the
   capital. July is winter recess for schools in Brazil.

   In August the Supreme Court is expected to weigh an appeal from Lula's
   legal team, demanding his release from jail.

   Lula has been convicted in a second graft trial and faces at least
   eight more.