Brazilians divided over possible impeachment against Bolsonaro

The Brazilian population is divided over the possibility of opening a political trial against President Jair Bolsonaro, according to the results of an opinion poll published Tuesday by the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

The survey, carried out by the Datafolha Institute with a margin of error of three points, indicated that 48% of Brazilians refuse to open a process for removal against the far-right leader, while 45% are in favor of it.

6% of the interviewees preferred not to position themselves in this regard.

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia, in charge of opening an eventual political trial against the head of state, has already received nearly 30 requests for 'impeachment', although on the previous day he ruled out that possibility because, according to what he said, " priority "is now the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bolsonaro government, in power since January 1, 2019, faces a political crisis after the resignation of the Minister of Justice, former judge Sergio Moro, known for having led the Lava Jato operation and imprisoned numerous politicians and businessmen , including former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The crisis originated last week from Bolsonaro's decision to dismiss the head of the Federal Police, Mauricio Valeixo, a man of Moro's highest confidence.

In his farewell, last Friday, the former magistrate launched serious accusations against the ruler and denounced that the change in the command of the Federal Police was "political interference", as even the president himself recognized.

Bolsonaro denied any type of interference in the corporation and disqualified Moro for his statements, based on which the Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation after receiving authorization from the Supreme Court last night.

The Datafolha survey also showed that 52% of Brazilians are in favor of Moro's thesis, while 20% defend Bolsonaro, 6% do not believe in either of them and 3% think that both have something of reason.

Asked if they would support Bolsonaro's hypothetical resignation, 50% of those surveyed rejected that possibility compared to 59% of the poll carried out in April, while the percentage of Brazilians in favor of it grew from 37% to 46%.

However, the president's electoral support base remains stable, according to Datafolha, since 33% consider his management "good or optimal", compared to 38% who describe it as "bad or lousy" and 26% who believes that it is "regular".

The results of the survey were obtained from telephone interviews conducted last Monday with 1,503 people.

After several days of uncertainty, Bolsonaro named this Tuesday the attorney general of the State André de Almeida Mendonça as the new Minister of Justice and Public Security.

He also decided to put in charge of the Federal Police Alexandre Ramagem, current director of the secret services and a figure close to the environment of the president's family.

The institution conducts at least two investigations that directly target the family environment of the ruler, and more specifically two of his children.

One of them deals with the dissemination of false news on social networks, which is suspected to be caused by groups directly linked to Rio de Janeiro councilman Carlos Bolsonaro and a so-called "hate cabinet" that would operate from the presidential palace.

Another investigates whether Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, in his time as regional deputy in Rio de Janeiro, participated in a plot of alleged fraud and money laundering, which were allegedly committed by hiring "ghost" officials for his cabinet.

To this is also added another case also authorized by the Supreme Court, which investigates acts in which the "closure" of that court and the Parliament were called, summoned by groups favorable to a "military intervention" and to whom the President Bolsonaro himself.