On horseback and in helicopter, Bolsonaro rallies base

SAO PAULO: Far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro rallied his base Saturday, appearing on horseback and even in a helicopter flyover, as his popularity dips and he faces harsh criticism for his handling of the pandemic which has ravaged his country.

Hundreds of trucks arrived in Brasilia early in the morning after Bolsonaro put out a call for rallies in several cities, which were meant to gather the country's conservative "soldiers," including farmers and the religious right.

Brazil, which has recorded more than 430,000 Covid-19 deaths and is notching more than 2,000 more each day, is the second hardest-hit country in the world after the United States.

Unlike America, however, it is facing difficulties in acquiring enough vaccines for its 212 million people.

Bolsonaro, who has called the deadly virus nothing more than a "little flu" and questioned the efficacy of vaccines, has seen his approval rating hit an all-time low of 24 percent, according to a survey published this week by the respected firm Datafolha.

The survey additionally revealed that 49 percent of Brazilians favor his impeachment, with 46 against.