Coronavirus in Brazil: an open senatorial committee …

The senatorial commission which is investigating the management of the pandemic by the government of Jair Bolsonaro announced this Thursday that opened a criminal investigation against the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga; his predecessor, General Eduardo Pazuello, former Foreign Minister Ernesto Aráujo and 11 other people linked to the president. The rapporteur of the committee, Renan Calheiros, claimed that they are assessing the inclusion of Bolsonaro among those surveyed.

The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (ICC) announced on Friday, through its rapporteur, Calheiros, of the conservative Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), the list of people to be investigated. Among them is Fabio Wajngarten, former communication secretary, a wing bolsonarist commissioned by astrologer Olavo de Carvalho, a far-right guru based in Virginia, United States. Also on the quoted list is the current management secretary of the ministry of health, Mayra Pinheiro, known as “Captain Chloroquine” for devising the strategy to use this remedy for malaria as a kind of preventative treatment for Covid-19. the former Secretary of Health of the State of Amazonas, Marcellus Campelo, is also on the list of 14 people to be investigated, in particular for its management of the lack of oxygen in the hospitals of Manaus where patients with Covid-19 died of suffocation in January.

This Friday, 98,832 new cases of illness and 2,495 deaths were recorded, as specified by health authorities. At the date, Brazil accumulates a total of 17,801,462 infected with the coronavirus, 498,499 deaths and 16,077,483 cured patients.

The 14 cities

In addition to the officials mentioned, the list published in the morning or balloon also includes for now: Elcio Franco (former Executive Secretary of Health); Arthur Weintraub (special advisor to the Presidency); Carlos Wizard (businessman); Fabio Wajngarten (former secretary for communication); Franciele Francinato (coordinator of the National Vaccination Program); Hélio Angotti Neto (Secretary of Science, Technology, Innovation and Strategic Health Supplies of the Ministry of Health); Marcellus Campêlo (former Secretary of Health for Amazonas); Mayra Pinheiro (Secretary of Management and Labor of the Ministry of Health); Nise Yamaguchi (doctor); Paolo Zanotto (doctor) and Luciano Dias Azevedo (doctor).

Bolsonarist responsibility

The ICC rapporteur claimed that they were also analyzing the investigation into President Jair Bolsonaro. “The ban is (only) for non-appearance to testify (…) if the court favors the investigation, I mean yes, we will investigate,” Calheiros said as quoted by or balloon. “If we can’t get him to testify, we can ask him questions in writing … if obvious facts arise, as they did, the ICC will have to hold him accountable.” In view of the evidence, it is impossible not to hold them accountable. It would be a failure in fulfilling our role, ”added the rapporteur of the commission investigating the management of the Bolsonarista government during the covid-19 pandemic.

According to the morning slogan or balloon, the rapporteur asked the technical team in his office to check whether Bolsonaro can be investigated by the Senate committee and if so, you intend to request a written statement. Calheiros sees the ICC as a way to stop the president from continuing to spread false news about the pandemic. This idea took on urgency in the face of the president’s latest remarks, who said that having been infected with the coronavirus protects more than vaccination, which goes against what specialists emphasize. “I already consider myself, rather, I am already vaccinated, in quotes. Anyone who has had the virus is vaccinated, even more effectively than vaccines because they had the virus inside their body. Then the discussion is over, whoever has contracted the virus is vaccinated, “said the president. According to Calheiros, “We are in a difficult situation because there is a madman in the presidency of the Republic who attacks the Brazilians every day”.

Bolsonaro against science

Bolsonaro also attacked the CoronaVac vaccine from Chinese laboratory SinoVac produced by the prestigious Butantane Institute, a laboratory in the state of São Paulo. Most of the Brazilian population has been immunized with CoronaVac and AstraZeneca. “Having had the coronavirus immunizes a lot more than this CoronaVac vaccine, which is only 50% effective,” said Bolsonaro, who reiterated that he will be “the last Brazilian to be vaccinated”.

The director of the Butantan Institute, Dimas Caves, he regretted that the denial movement has strengthened in Brazil, while the country is close to half a million deaths from covid-19. “There has never been such a high mortality in Brazil and it seems people are playing with this reality,” said Covas, who has headed the institution since 2017. The manager also denounced Bolsonaro for the lack of definition during from contracting with pharmaceutical companies, such as the regulator Anvisa, for the delay in approving the emergency use of Coronavac. “If these aspects had been treated as a priority, Brazil could have been one of the first countries in the world to initiate vaccination,” he said.