“If you turn into an alligator, that’s your problem”

The President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, spoke of the “side effects” that the vaccines against the coronavirus can have and clarified that he will not apply any because he already had the disease and quipped: “If you turn into an alligator, that’s your problem “.

“The vaccine, once certified by the National Health Surveillance Agency, will be extended to all those who wish it. I will not take itHe started to clarify.

Then he criticized those who tell him he is setting “a bad example”. “The idiot, the idiot which means that I am giving a terrible example … I have already had the virus, I already have antibodies. Why take a vaccine again? He asked.

Furthermore, he criticized Pfizer saying, “And one other thing must be very clear. Pfizer is very clear in the contract: “ We (for Pfizer) We are not responsible for any side effects“. If you turn into an alligator, that’s your problem. If you become a superman, if a woman grows a beard, or if a man starts to speak well, that has nothing to do with it. And, what is worse, it changes the immune system of the people ”.

The Brazilian president thus spoke on the very day when the Supreme Court of his country approved that the vaccine against the coronavirus is compulsory. It was adopted by a large majority and allows states and municipalities to impose sanctions on those who do not.

The decision of the High Court, composed of eleven judges, does not mean that the population must be forcibly vaccinated, but it opens the door for the country’s authorities to adopt “indirect measures” to promote vaccination.

Bolsonaro, contrary to what the Court imposed, has already anticipated that “he will not force anyone” to be vaccinated. “I am not going to force you to take the vaccine because I am responsible”, said the president.

Brazil is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic in the world, along with the United States and India, and until Thursday it accounted for 7.1 million infections and around 185,000 deaths linked to the new coronavirus.

The justice of the state of Rio de Janeiro has also determined the closure of all commercial and tourist activities in the seaside resort of Buzios due to a (slight) increase in cases of coronavirus, which caused a demonstration with the agglomerations and the cacerolazos of the businessmen of the sector. in front of the manager of one of the most important tourist destinations in Brazil.

The decision of the Court of Justice of the State of Rio de Janeiro gave 72 hours to all tourists to leave the city, asking to return to the “red flag”, that is to say to an almost total closure of non-essential activities. The mayor accepted the decision but is preparing an appeal, and by late afternoon, versions began to circulate that a second instance decision would overturn this drastic measure.

The merchants and businessmen of the hotel industry, including dozens of Argentines living in this city, went to the Armação dos Búzios square, in the center of the tourist village, to protest against the measure.

JPE