Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s approval rating has surpassed his disapproval for the first time in 2025, according to the latest Latam Pulse survey, a joint initiative by AtlasIntel and Bloomberg, released on Thursday (31).
The shift comes in the context of rising tensions between Brazil and the United States, sparked by U.S. president Donald Trump’s threats to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods. Lula’s firm stance in defense of national sovereignty has helped bolster his image domestically.
According to the poll, 50.2% of Brazilians currently approve of Lula’s performance, while 49.7% disapprove. The last time approval outpaced disapproval in a Latam Pulse survey was in October 2024.
The data reflects a steady upward trend in Lula’s popularity observed in May, June and early July, coinciding with Trump’s tariff threats. In this period, Lula’s image is seen as positive by 51% of respondents and negative by 48%.
Negative evaluations of his administration dropped three percentage points, while positive evaluations rose five points. However, the “poor/very poor” ratings (48.2%) still slightly outweigh “good/excellent” ratings (46.6%). Even so, the trend shows signs of improvement, with a four-point increase in positive perceptions of Lula between June and July.
Meanwhile, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who supported Trump’s tariff initiative, saw his public image deteriorate during the same period.
Policy impacts
Among Lula’s most positively rated policies are:
- Brazilian Popular Pharmacy Program, a public program that offers free or heavily subsidized access to essential medicines for low-income Brazilians;
- Income tax exemption for individuals earning up to approximately USD 893 per month;
- Crackdown on illegal mining, including the removal of wildcat miners from Indigenous territories and protected environmental reserves;
- Mercosur–European Union trade deal, which advanced under Lula’s administration;
- “Untangle Brazil” (Desenrola Brasil), a federal debt relief initiative that helps individuals renegotiate personal debts and restore their credit;
- My House, My Life Program, Brazil’s main social housing program, relaunched to provide affordable homes for low-income families.
On the other hand, negatively perceived actions include Lula’s comparison of Israel’s attacks on Palestinians to the actions of Nazi Germany; the removal of state-owned companies from Brazil’s privatization agenda; an increase in the IOF (Tax on Financial Operations), which affects domestic and international financial transactions; and the so-called “blusinhas tax”, a new tax applied to low-cost international online purchases such as clothing and accessories.
Other political figures
The survey also measured public opinion on other political leaders, including cabinet members and opposition figures. Finance minister Fernando Haddad and environment minister Marina Silva both received more negative than positive evaluations. Vice president Geraldo Alckmin recorded equal approval and disapproval.
Among opposition figures, Bolsonaro’s disapproval continued to climb, now at 55%, compared to 44% approval. His wife, former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, shows a similar pattern: 54% disapproval versus 42% approval.
Right-wing congressman Nikolas Ferreira also saw a decline in popularity, with 52% disapproval. Among governors allied with Bolsonaro, only São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas enjoys a slightly favorable rating: 47% approval against 46% disapproval.
