A survey conducted by Genial/Quaest and released on Wednesday, 16, shows that most Brazilians reject the increase in import tariffs imposed by the United States to Brazil. The measure was announced by President Donald Trump, who alleged dissatisfaction with the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro in the Supreme Court (STF), accused of an attempted coup.
The survey, released by Folha de S. Pauloheard 2,004 people in 120 municipalities between July 10 and 14, with a margin of error of two percentage points.
According to the survey, 72% of respondents consider that Trump acted wrong when applying economic penalties to Brazil based on the claim of persecution to his ally Bolsonaro. On the other hand, 19% evaluate that the US President is correct in this decision.
In the political spectrum, the rejection of Trump’s measure also appears between right -wing voters, although with less intensity. Among those who identify themselves as rightists, but they are not pockets, 52% say Trump is wrong, while 40% agree with him. Already among the declared pockets, 48% reject the measure, and 42% defend it. Error margins for these groups are five and six percentage points, respectively.
Between left -aligned voters, the disapproval rate is higher. Between Listas and Petistas, 87% stand against Trump’s attitude, and 9% support it. On the left in general, rejection reaches 94%, with only 2% favorable to fare. In these segments, the margin of error ranges from five to six points.
The research also evaluates perceptions of the economic impact of the tariffs imposed by the United States. For 79% of Brazilians, the increase in tax on Brazilian products – which can reach up to 50% – will hurt the life of the population. Only 13% disagree with this assessment.
Another issue raised by the survey was Trump’s statement that trade relations between Brazil and the United States are “unfair.” According to the survey, 63% of Brazilians consider this statement incorrect, while 25% agree with the evaluation of the Republican.
Among the pockets, opinions about this criticism are divided: 48% disagree with Trump’s statement, and 41% to endorse. Already among right voters, the division is similar, with 48% disapproving the speech and 43% supporting.
The research also reveals support for the Brazilian government’s response to US measures. According to the survey, 53% of Brazilians approve of the decision of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) to adopt reciprocity measures in reaction to the tariff increase of the US.
In the political context, the Planalto Palace and the PT blame Jair Bolsonaro for the American retaliation and launched the “Defend Brazil” campaign, which uses the colors of the national flag to reinforce the narrative.
On the other hand, the Bolsonaro family reacted to the economic crisis caused by the so-called “tariff” defending a “wide, general and unrestricted amnesty” to those involved in the attempted coup of January 8, 2023. The hardening of tariffs was a direct result of the deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) campaign in Washington, who pressured the Trump government to adopt measures against the Brazilian Supreme Court.