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Brazil, once the flagship of social democracy in Latin America, has become an international pariah. Since his inauguration as president on 1 January 2019, Jair Bolsonaro has been implementing the programmed destruction of the 1988 constitution, which sanctioned the return to democracy after more than two decades of military dictatorship, at warp speed.
The retired army captain has never hidden his contempt for the rule of law. From the outset, it was obvious that he would try to move from far-Right populism to full-scale authoritarianism. No one could have imagined, however, that he would turn Brazil into a mass grave.
Mandetta said Bolsonaro has been in denial since the beginning of the pandemic.
Former Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta Tuesday told the Parliamentary Commission investigating the government s handling of the coronavirus pandemic that President Jair Bolsonaro tried to change the chloroquine brochure that comes along with the medicine so that it could be used against covid-19.
Mandetta told the Senate that Bolsonaro had at the beginning of the pandemic set up a parallel committee under the command of his children to make health decisions.
According to Mandetta, Bolsonaro intended to have the chloroquine prospectus changed by decree so that the drug could be used, without scientific verification, on a massive scale against covid-19.
By Maria Carolina Marcello
BRASILIA, May 4 (Reuters) - Brazil s former health minister told a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday that President Jair Bolsonaro s right-wing government knew full well that the treatment they were advocating for COVID-19 patients had no scientific basis.
Luiz Henrique Mandetta, who was fired last April by Bolsonaro for not agreeing to push the malaria drug chloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment, testified before a parliamentary inquiry into the handling of the pandemic that has killed more than 408,000 Brazilians.
The Senate investigation is expected to hurt the president politically 17 months ahead of elections by showing the country that his opposition to lockdowns and social distancing measures, his failure to secure vaccines and the touting of unproven treatments deepened the crisis Brazil is now in.
Brazil COVID-19 inquiry told of Bolsonaro s blind faith in chloroquine reuters.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reuters.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Brazil Senate to Probe Bolsonaro Government s (Mis)Steps on COVID-19 Pandemic
The nation s parliamentary commission may hold the president accountable for encouraging political gatherings and religious congregations in the midst of a raging pandemic.
Brazil s President Jair Bolsonaro adjusts his face mask during a press meet on March 18, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Adriano Machado
World2 hours ago
Sao Paulo: A year back, when COVID-19 was gathering speed across Brazil, President Jair Messias Bolsonaro was asked by a reporter about the rising graph of deaths. Visibly irritated by the question, the president shouted at the journalist: âSo what? Iâm sorry? What do you want me to do? Iâm Messiah, but I donât do a miracle,â in a reference to his middle name.