Brazil's president wants to keep his country's economy open despite the country's corona culture • Health minister wanted to impose closure - and dismiss
Brazilian President Javier Bolsonaro // Photo: AP
Brazil's President Javier Bolsonaro fired Health Minister Louise Henrica Mandate on Friday after fierce disagreement between the two over the issue of dealing with the country's corona epidemic.
Bolsonaro, addressing the dangers inherent in the outbreak of the virus, wants to get his country's economy back on track as quickly as possible and avoid a wide-ranging closure, as mandated by Health Minister Mandate. The Minister of Health, an orthopedic doctor in his training, received sweeping support from both the right and the left when he expressed support for the demand of Federation heads of state to declare a closure in their territory.
Experts say that the peak of the corona eruption in Brazil is expected in the coming weeks. "You can be sure that we have fought the virus well up to this point," Mandate said in a broadcast speech to health workers in the state, "but the battle is just beginning," he added.
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Bolsonaro, for his part, repeatedly referred to the virus as "little flu", arguing that disabling the economy in the country would do more harm than the virus itself, especially to the weak population in the country's slums, which are in danger of starvation. "Life is valuable, but the economy and workers must return to a routine of employment and normalcy," Bolesonaro said, adding that Mandate's dismissal does not stem from anger. "This is a mutual divorce because what is more important than me is the health and prosperity of the Brazilian people," Bolesonaro said.
Mandate's replacement in the role of Health Minister Nelson Teich, an oncologist and MBA, said in a joint press conference with the president: "We should not rush into hard actions.