The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Brazil: Bolsonaro advocates deconfinement this week

2020-04-20T15:52:28.041Z


While the peak of the epidemic should be reached during May-June, the Brazilian president intends to end the confinement as soon as possible.


Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday April 20 that he hoped the containment measures taken by state governors to stem the coronavirus would be lifted this week, when the peak of the pandemic has not yet been reached.

Read also: LIVE - Deconfinement plan: the government "needs time", repeats Ndiaye

"I hope it will be the last week of quarantine," said the head of state after leaving his official residence at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. "The masses cannot stay at home because their fridge is empty," he added, describing as " excessive" the measures taken by the mayors and governors of almost all the states of Brazil.

Outside, but at what cost?

Jair Bolsonaro, 65, harangued protesters on Sunday who were calling for an end to the confinement, but also for "military intervention" to "shut down parliament and the Supreme Court . " On Monday, the far-right president estimated that those who accuse him of "being a dictator lack intelligence". " I am already in power, against whom I would be conspiring?", Launched this nostalgic assumed military dictatorship (1964-1985).

Read also: Brazil: Bolsonaro harangues anti-containment demonstrators

And when one of his supporters asked him Monday to "close the Parliament" , Bolsonaro took it up sharply: "we're not going to close anything, don't say that, here, you are at home, at home." Parliament must be open and transparent, the Supreme Court open and transparent ” .

Minister of Health Fired

The president also revealed that he had refused to issue a decree requested by a minister (without naming a name) to allow fines to be imposed on those who did not comply with the containment measures. In states like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, most affected by the virus, quarantine is not as strict as in most European countries. Only businesses considered essential can remain open, but no coercive measures force the population to stay at home.

Read also: Brazil: Bolsonaro dismisses his Minister of Health in the midst of the coronavirus crisis

In Brazil, these decisions are the responsibility of local authorities and the Supreme Court decided that the federal government could not interfere with them. Last week, Jair Bolsonaro sacked the very popular Minister of Health Luiz Henrique Mandetta, who had a diametrically opposed vision on how to face the pandemic, advocating containment and following to the letter the WHO recommendations.

In Brazil, a country of more than 210 million inhabitants, the latest official report shows 38,654 confirmed cases and 2,462 deaths, and the Ministry of Health estimates that the peak could be reached during May-June.

See also - Jair Bolsonaro wants to take the "risk" of reopening businesses

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-04-20

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.