Impeachment Protests in 20 Major Regions of Brazil
Both Left and Right Wings Participate...Conservative Factions Also Turn Away
Disappointment Erupts Over Unscientific COVID-19 Response
On the 24th (local time), a vehicle protest was held on a street in S?o Paulo, holding placards that read "The lives of the Brazilian people are precious. Bolsonaro must step down." S?o Paulo (Brazil) = Reuters·Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] In Brazil, where the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis is spiraling out of control, impeachment protests against President Jair Bolsonaro are spreading nationwide. President Bolsonaro has been criticized for dismissing the virus as a simple cold from the early stages of the COVID-19 response and for continuing inadequate measures, which is seen as having caused the damage. As the death toll in Brazil surpassed 200,000, even the conservative supporters who had backed him have turned their backs.
According to foreign media including the AP on the 24th (local time), vehicle protests demanding President Bolsonaro's resignation took place in 20 regions across Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, the previous day. As Brazil's cumulative COVID-19 death toll exceeded 210,000, the second highest in the world after the United States, even the existing conservative supporters withdrew their support for President Bolsonaro and led the impeachment protests.
It is reported that thousands of protesters marched for his resignation even in the western Rio region, known as a support base for President Bolsonaro. Some conservative citizens who had previously supported Bolsonaro conducted an online petition demanding the president's resignation, which gathered over 180,000 participants in just three days. The petitioner who started the campaign referred to "President Bolsonaro as 'Brazil's curse'" and pointed out that "his unscientific measures have worsened the current COVID-19 situation."
Dissatisfaction with President Bolsonaro's COVID-19 response is also reflected in his approval ratings. According to a survey by Brazilian polling agency Datafolha, 40% of respondents answered negatively regarding the government's performance, while only 31% responded positively. The proportion of negative responses increased by 13% compared to the August survey last year (27%).
The Guardian stated, "Despite the worsening COVID-19 crisis, thousands of citizens from across the political spectrum participated in the protests," adding, "This means that President Bolsonaro's future has become even more unpredictable and could ultimately lead to his resignation."
Meanwhile, according to the international statistics website Worldometer, as of this day, Brazil's cumulative COVID-19 confirmed cases stand at 8,844,600, with a cumulative death toll of 217,081. Brazil ranks third in the world in terms of cumulative confirmed cases and second in cumulative deaths, recording the second highest COVID-19 impact globally after the United States.
The fear of variant viruses is also putting Brazilian health authorities on high alert. Earlier this month, variant viruses were detected in four Brazilian travelers who entered Japan, making Brazil known as one of the spread areas of variant viruses following the United Kingdom and South Africa.
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