Brazilians’ views of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s foreign policy moves reflect the polarization of the electorate: 49.6 percent approve, while 47.3 percent don’t, according to an Atlas Intel poll released this week — almost a statistical tie.
Despite disagreeing with some of the initiatives taken by Brazilian diplomacy under Lula, the average Brazilian voter believes he is better at representing the country globally than his predecessor, the far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro. Still, the poll shows a gulf between some of the tenets of Lula’s foreign policy and the beliefs of many Brazilians — which religious values may explain.
More than 43 percent of voters think Brazil did not take the right steps in regards to the conflict between Israel and Hamas — believing it was more favorable to the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip than it should have been.
Lula’s first statement after Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israeli territory did not mention Hamas, although he said he was “shocked by the terrorist attacks against civilians in Israel.” His top foreign policy advisor said the terrorist acts came “after years and years of discriminatory, violent treatment [of Palestinians], not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank.”
Globally, the Brazilian government has condemned the hostilities on both sides. But since last week, when a group of 32 Brazilian nationals and some of their relatives were allowed to flee Gaza, Lula has made harsher statements about Israel, saying that Israeli attacks on civilians, including children, amount to terrorism.
Meanwhile, Lula’s Workers’ Party has traded barbs with Israeli diplomacy — including...
Search
