This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
On July 3, 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro exercised his veto power to remove provisions from a law requiring face masks in public places.
Face coverings were already mandatory in several states, including Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but this was the first such law on a national level.
The original law stipulated that masks must be worn in commercial and industrial establishments, religious temples, teaching premises, and closed places where people gather.
Bolsonaro alleged that the article was unconstitutional, claiming it could 'possibly violate the home' by referring to closed places where businesses and meetings take place.
However, the Chamber of Deputies insisted that the clause referred to places accessible to the public, not homes, which are protected by the constitution.
Bolsonaro also vetoed articles requiring shops and businesses to provide staff with masks and public authorities to distribute masks to economically vulnerable people.
Now, Congress must study the president's vetos and decide whether to maintain or reverse them.
