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After six months of hearings, a Brazilian Senate committee recommended accusing President Bolsonaro and four of his ministers of “crimes against humanity” due to the response to the health crisis unleashed by Covid-19, which leaves more than 600,000 fatalities in the country.
The Parliamentary Investigation Commission (CPI), which for six months investigated the actions of the Brazilian Government during the health emergency, recommended this October 20 to accuse President Jair Bolsonaro and other officials of eight crimes, including “crimes against humanity”. epidemic resulting in death, violation of sanitary measures and medical quackery.
The Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 600,000 people in Brazil, one of the most affected countries in the world, for which the committee highlighted in its report that the large figure is related to the decisions made by the Brazilian government supported by Bolsonaro’s denial of the virus.
Since the start of the health emergency, the president has repeatedly minimized the severity of the virus, calling it a “small flu”, promoting treatments without scientific basis, criticizing and blocking measures by local governments to stop the spread and smear campaigns against of vaccines. An attitude that has not changed throughout the year and a half of the pandemic.
Bolsonaro strongly collaborated with the spread of Covid-19 in Brazil
“By insisting on ‘early treatment’ as the only policy to combat the pandemic, Bolsonaro collaborated strongly with the spread of Covid-19 in Brazil and, thus, was shown to be the main responsible for the mistakes made by the Government,” the report says 1,200 pages written by Senator Renan Calheiros, instructor of the parliamentary group.
Bolsonaro, four ministers and 61 officials, in the sights of the investigative committee
As accused of prevarication, falsification of public documents, irregular use of public money and attacks against the dignity of the position, the committee points to Bolsonaro, four of his ministers (Marcelo Queiroga, Walter Braga Netto, Onyx Lorenzoni and Wagner Rosario) and 61 officials of the Administration that somehow contributed to the mismanagement of the emergency.
The document includes accusations for the crimes of epidemic resulting in death, violation of sanitary measures and incitement to crime.
Next week the document would be approved by the commission and sent to the courts, since the committee does not have the power to make formal complaints, but the echo of the complaints could reach different bodies that can continue the investigations and formulate charges, such as the Attorney General’s Office, the Court of Accounts or an international court, adds AFP.
The accusation, although symbolic, comes at one of Bolsonaro’s worst moments of popularity, where polls for the 2022 elections place him behind former president Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva, a staunch critic of the far-right leader.
News in development …
With AFP and EFE
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