This archive report was first published on 29 October 2021.
On Thursday, October 28, 2021, Brazilian Attorney General Augusto Aras opened a preliminary investigation into the alleged crimes committed by 13 politicians, including President Jair Bolsonaro, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The investigation stems from a report by the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) on alleged failures and crimes committed during the management of the pandemic in Brazil. The report, delivered to Aras on Wednesday, contains 80 requests for indictment, including nine crimes against Bolsonaro.
According to the CPI report, Bolsonaro and the other 12 politicians with privileged jurisdiction are accused of malfeasance, quackery, epidemic resulting in death, infringement of preventive sanitary measures, irregular employment of public funds, incitement to crime, falsification of private documents, crime of responsibility, and crimes against humanity.
Aras has ordered his team to review all related procedures in the Federal Supreme Court and the Superior Court of Justice, and to share the evidence delivered by the CPI with all prosecutors in the country responsible for processes related to the pandemic.
The final decision on whether to file indictment requests, initiate an investigation, or pursue the accusations lies with the Attorney General's office.
