Brazil's Lula extends comeback as approval ticks up
FILE PHOTO: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva looks on during a ceremony at the Planalto Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, July 30, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo
SAO PAULO - Support for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government continued to rebound in August, extending a recovery from a low point earlier in the year, a poll showed Wednesday.
According to the survey by Genial/Quaest, approval for Lula's administration rose to 46%, up from 43% in July and 40% in May.
Correspondingly, the government's disapproval rate fell to 51% from 53% last month and 57% in May, the highest-ever disapproval in Lula's three non-consecutive terms in office.
The Genial/Quaest poll surveyed 2,004 eligible voters in person from August 13 to August 17. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points. REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
8 minutes ago
- Straits Times
South Korea's early exports data shows resilience despite US tariffs toll
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A trade deal capped US tariffs on South Korean goods at 15 per cent – below the 25 per cent level that US President Donald Trump had threatened to impose. – South Korea's early exports data showed that shipments overseas have held up so far in August despite sweeping US tariffs that continue to weigh on global commerce. The value of shipments increased 7.6 per cent from a year earlier in the first 20 days of August, according to data released on Aug 21 by the customs office. That compared with a 5.8 per cent increase in the full month of July. Imports edged up 0.4 per cent, resulting in a trade surplus of US$833 million (S$1.07 billion). Working-day adjusted exports also climbed 7.6 per cent for the first 20 days of the month. The latest data comes after a last-minute trade deal that capped US tariffs on imports of South Korean goods at 15 per cent – a higher rate than the 10 per cent implemented from April, but below the 25 per cent level that US President Donald Trump had threatened to impose. Outbound shipments so far have likely been supported by front-loading ahead of the Aug 1 tariff deal deadline. Also, manufacturers including Samsung Electronics have benefited from Mr Trump's decision to put smartphones, laptops and other consumer technology products on an exclusion list. Supply chain relationships with companies such as Apple have also helped. While the pact eased fears over the potential worst-case scenario, policymakers warn that growing global protectionism and lingering tensions with Washington could weigh on the outlook. Vehicle exports face uncertainty, as the 25 per cent US tariff on Korean cars remains in place until Mr Trump signs an executive order to align it with the 15 per cent universal rate. Written documentation on the trade deals agreed to with Japan and South Korea is 'weeks away', US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Aug 19 in an interview with CNBC. Mr Trump has also threatened to add chip tariffs by the end of August. By sector, semiconductor exports, South Korea's top product, rose almost 30 per cent, while auto exports climbed 22 per cent. Steel exports dropped 4.5 per cent, staying weak under the pressure of the 50 per cent US tariff, and petroleum product shipments fell 4 per cent. Unadjusted exports to the US fell 2.7 per cent, whereas shipments to China increased 2.7 per cent. Exports to Thailand increased 59 per cent, and those to Singapore rose 82 per cent. Exports are equivalent to more than 40 per cent of South Korea's economy, making them a key barometer of growth. While the tariff deal and signs of stronger consumption offer some support, the central bank is likely to stay cautious on the growth outlook, as tariffs may still pose risks to exports down the road, Nomura Holdings economist Park Jeong-woo wrote in a note this week. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
8 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Vance says Europe will have to take 'lion's share' of burden for Ukrainian security
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox U.S. Vice President JD Vance meets members of the National Guard, at Union Station in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Al Drago/Pool WASHINGTON - U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that European countries will have to pay the "lion's share" of costs for Ukraine's security guarantees. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT President Donald Trump wants to strike a peace deal to end Russia's 3-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine. One of Ukraine's priorities is security guarantees against Russian aggression. Trump has said he will not put U.S. troops on the ground there but could offer U.S. air support. European countries have formed a "coalition of the willing" that would commit forces to guarantee Ukraine's security. With Trump testy about billions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Ukraine so far, the White House has said Washington will not continue "writing blank checks" to fund Kyiv's defense. Trump wants to shift more responsibility for the costs to European allies. KEY QUOTES "I don't think we should carry the burden here.... The president certainly expects Europe to play the leading role here," Vance told Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" show. "No matter what form this takes, the Europeans are going to have to take the lion's share of the burden. It's their continent, its their security, and the president has been very clear - they are going to have to step up here." CONTEXT Vance said Russia wants some Ukrainian territory, "most of which they have occupied but some of which they haven't." Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine, and Trump has said "land-swapping" and changes to territory will be crucial for any settlement. Ukraine opposes conceding any territory, a position President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said is enshrined in the country's constitution. But Kyiv currently lacks the military capacity to retake all Russian-held areas and has limited diplomatic leverage to force a withdrawal in the short term. REUTERS
CNA
8 minutes ago
- CNA
Oil prices gain as US inventory withdrawals point to strong demand
TOKYO :Oil prices gained slightly on Thursday as larger-than-expected declines crude oil and fuel inventories in the U.S., the world's biggest oil user, supported expectations for steady demand. Brent crude futures were up 13 cents, or 0.19 per cent, to $66.97 a barrel at 0055 GMT, after gaining 1.6 per cent in the previous session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 15 cents, or 0.24 per cent, to $62.86, after climbing 1.4 per cent on Wednesday. U.S. crude inventories fell by 6 million barrels last week to 420.7 million barrels, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, versus analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.8 million-barrel draw. Gasoline stocks dropped by 2.7 million barrels, versus expectations for a 915,000-barrel draw, the EIA said, indicating steady driving demand during the summer travel season. That was also seen in a jump in the four-week average for jet fuel consumption to its highest since 2019. "Crude oil prices rebounded as signs of strong demand in the U.S. boosted sentiment," Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at ANZ, said in a note on Thursday. Still, Hynes cautioned that some "bearish sentiment remains evident as traders continue to monitor negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine." Russia said on Wednesday attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without Moscow's participation were a "road to nowhere," as U.S. and European military planners have begun exploring post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine. The drawn-out efforts to secure peace in Ukraine mean that Western sanctions on Russian oil supply continue to remain in place. The possibility of further U.S. sanctions and tariffs on Russian oil buyers also hang over the market. Russia, however, remains adamant it will keep providing crude to willing buyers, with Russian diplomats in India saying on Wednesday the country expects to continue supplying oil to India despite warnings from the U.S. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an additional tariff of 25 per cent on Indian goods from August 27 because of their Russian crude purchases. The European Union has also sanctioned Indian private refiner Nayara Energy, which is backed by Russian oil company Rosneft. Indian refiners initially backed off their Russian buying but company officials at state-run Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum have bought Russian oil for September and October delivery, resuming purchases after discounts widened.
