Supporters continue to rally round Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro after he ignored WHO coronavirus advice at the start of Covid pandemic - as his country's death toll soars past 63,000 with more than 1.5 million infections
As the number of dead from coronavirus continues to soar in Brazil, the popularity of far right President Jair Bolsonaro has remained unchanged.
For his supporters, the president has done nothing wrong despite more than 63,000 deaths and 1.5 million infections.
Bolsonaro originally dismissed the coronavirus as a 'little flu' and his opposition to lockdowns and flouting of measures aimed at stifling the spread have provoked a hail of criticism from some.
Local epidemiologists and the World Health Organization have expressed concern about the president's approach in a country that is second only to the United States in terms of total cases and deaths from the virus.
Yet a poll by Datafolha at the end of June found that 32 percent of Brazilians thought Bolsonaro's government was 'good or very good,' a number that hasn't dropped since the start of the health crisis.
'People are suffering a lot financially, and when Bolsonaro says: 'We can't stop Brazil from working,' he's speaking to people's despair,' said Vinicius Valle, a political science researcher.
Despite more than 63,000 deaths and 1.5 million infections in Brazil and President Bolsonaro's (pictured above greeting a rally of supporters) unwillingness to tackle the coronavirus crisis, popularity among his supporters has remained largely unchanged
He says most of the president's supporters recognize there's a health risk - but with Brazil set for a record recession this year, many have been deeply resistant to the lockdown.
However, today the people supporting Bolsonaro are not the same as those before the pandemic, said Valle, the co-author of a study on Bolsonarism published in June.
'He's lost some points amongst those that supported him since the election. The faithful make up only 22 percent,' he said.
On the flip side, 'he's gained some amongst the lower social classes thanks to the 600 reais ($112) emergency support' given to almost 60 million Brazilians.
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According to Johns Hopkins University, at the time of writing Brazil has seen 1,539,081 Covid-19 cases and 63,174 related deaths. Some believe the true figures are much higher
Every Sunday in Sao Paulo and the capital Brasilia, Bolsonaro supporters hit the streets draped in the nation's flag to show their appreciation.
And they seem to be singing from the same song sheet as the president.
If there aren't many at the demonstration, they say, it's because the media has stoked fear and discouraged people from heading out.
If the economy is crashing, that's the fault of state governors.
'Bolsonaro has given money to the people and the states. But the state governors have mismanaged that money, rural hospitals are falling to pieces,' said Neusa, who didn't want to give her full name.
While most supporters recognise health risks, the fear of a recession is greater, and Brazil is set to experience a record recession this year. Above, a volunteer walks past a mural of the Brazilian flag as he disinfects an area at the Babilonia favela, in Rio de Janeiro
Similarities between U.S. President Donald Trump and Bolsonaro have been drawn for their populist approaches. Above, followers of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro hold a demonstration in his support in Brasilia, Brazil. One holds a Trump 2020
'There was no need to close down anything,' added the 50-something taking part in a pro-Bolsonaro protest in Sao Paulo and holding a banner calling for the state governor Joao Doria to quit.
Doria was quick to impose a lockdown at the start of the crisis, but the state, by far the largest in Brazil, has been the worst affected by the pandemic.
'Bolsonaro is taking wise decisions' and has 'competent ministers,' according to another demonstrator, Lee Freitas.
Two health ministers have left the job since the pandemic began after clashing with Bolsonaro over the country's approach to the crisis.
'We support this management. We're delighted to have a patriotic president who is cheered everywhere he goes,' added Freitas.
Brazil has seen 63,000 deaths from coronavirus and 1.5 million infections, making it second only to the U.S. in both statistics
Above, Maria Geralda da Silva, 84, who is experiencing breathing difficulty and others symptoms of COVID-19 is carried into an ambulance by first responders of the Emergency Rescue Service (SAMU) as she is transferred to a hospital for treatment amid the outbreak, in Sao Paulo
Bolsonaro is well known for mingling with his supporters, even during lockdown when social distancing measures were in place - and being ignored by those very groups.
Coronavirus is a Chinese conspiracy for some Bolsonaro supporters.
'It's the result of the strategy of certain media, linked to the left and Chinese communism, to demoralize conservative governments like the Brazilian and American governments,' said demonstrator Alex Silva, 46.
'How do you explain that the number of COVID-19 cases didn't explode in China,' he added.
Several conspiracy theories are circulating on social media.
'But the most negationist false information circulating in Brazil, like the one claiming local authorities have buried empty coffins to inflate the (virus death) numbers, are not necessarily pushed by Bolsonarists, which shows that few people believe in it,' said Valle, who believes the president's popularity ratings will drop soon enough.
'Once the emergency aid ends, Bolsonaro's popularity should reduce to the 22 percent faithful who voted for him and continue to support him.'
Many Brazilians have been outraged by their president's approach, and have taken to the streets to let their thoughts be known. Above, Dozens of people participate in a march against the President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro, on Copacabana beach. One woman holds a sign that reads: '57,000 Covid deaths. So what?'
Echoing scenes witnessed in other countries in recent months, police have been sent in to clamp down on protests. Above: Military police stand guard during the protest against Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
Earlier in June, Brazil's government stopped publishing a running total of coronavirus deaths and infections.
Critics called the decision an attempt to hide the true toll of the disease in the country.
The move came after months of criticism from experts saying Brazil's statistics are woefully deficient, and in some cases manipulated, so it may never be possible to gain a real understanding of the depth of the pandemic in the country.
On June 5, the federal Health Ministry took down a website that had showed daily, weekly and monthly figures on infections and deaths in Brazilian states.
The site later returned but the total numbers of infections for states and the nation were no longer there.
According to Johns Hopkins University, at the time of writing Brazil has seen 1,539,081 Covid-19 cases and 63,174 related deaths.
Bolsonaro has previously said he refuses to follow directives on social distancing from the World Health Organisation, because it promotes 'masturbation' in children under four.
In a bizarre Facebook post, which was removed from his profile page on the social media platform, Bolsonaro cited an obscure guide about sex education to question the WHO's authority on coronavirus.
Bolsonaro ranted online about the WHO's alleged recommendation children under four derive 'satisfaction and pleasure upon touching their own body *masturbation*'.
He used this and other tenuous references to make his case the global agency is in no position to direct him on the best way to curb the spread of COVID-19.
