This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
Brazil's COVID-19 Crisis Deepens ¶
As of June 19, Brazil has reported a record 54,771 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide total to 1,032,913, according to the health ministry.
President Jair Bolsonaro has continued to downplay the threat of the virus, questioning global medical authorities and accusing opponents of trying to discredit his leadership.
Despite warnings from health experts, Bolsonaro has refused to implement strict social distancing measures, instead opting for a gradual reopening of the economy.
Bolsonaro's False Sense of Immunity ¶
At the beginning of the pandemic, Bolsonaro compared the virus to a 'little flu' and falsely implied that Brazilians were immune to the virus.
He made these claims on February 26, when the first case was confirmed, and repeated them on March 26, during a press conference outside the Alvorada presidential residence in Brasilia.
“Brazilians don’t catch anything … they already have the antibodies to keep it from spreading,” Bolsonaro said.
However, cases began to quickly spread across the country, and by April 8, Brazil had confirmed over 15,000 cases and 800 deaths.
Bolsonaro vs. Social Distancing ¶
Despite warnings from health experts, Bolsonaro continued to downplay the threat of the virus, and even attended an anti-lockdown rally in Brasilia without a mask, where he coughed several times and shook hands with supporters.
Opposition leaders considered the protests 'anti-democratic,' after signs were seen calling for dissolving the Congress and Supreme Court and for the return of the dictatorship.
Military in the Health Ministry ¶
Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta's successor, Nelson Teich, lasted less than a month in office before resigning, due to disagreements with Bolsonaro over the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients.
Eduardo Pazuello, an army general with no health experience, was named as the interim Health Minister, and began replacing key positions within the ministry with other military brass.
Pazuello also issued new guidance authorizing the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for all patients displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
“After two Health Ministers refused to do so and chose to resign instead of signing the document, it was up to General Eduardo Pazuello, who has assumed the ministry on an interim basis, to authorize the use of chloroquine for all COVID-19 patients,” Pazuello wrote on his personal Twitter account.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked permissions for the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients, but Brazil's Health Ministry expanded its guidance on the use of the drugs to include pregnant women and children.
