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Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro is in trouble with the judiciary and parliament
Photo: Adriano Machado / REUTERS
Possibly excessive prices, secret agreements, strange excuses: the inconsistencies surrounding the Brazilian government's vaccine order from an Indian manufacturer are calling the judiciary into action.
The country's Supreme Court has opened a formal investigation into President Jair Bolsonaro over allegations of corruption.
The judge Rosa Weber granted an application from the public prosecutor's office and with it the green light for the investigators, reports the news agency "Agência Brasil".
Senators had previously filed a criminal complaint against Bolsonaro.
The accusation: abuse of office.
The president ignored specific indications of corruption in his environment.
There is a "gigantic corruption system" in the Ministry of Health.
The Brazilian government had ordered 20 million doses of the Indian Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin - and received a bill for more than 300 million dollars, or 15 dollars per vaccine dose.
The Ministry of Health paid significantly less for other vaccines, reported a whistleblower who had previously worked for the agency.
The contract was later terminated.
The comparatively high costs were not the only noticeable thing.
The government had already ordered the vaccine when it was not yet approved in Brazil.
The whistleblower informed his brother, who is a member of parliament.
According to his own statements, he informed the president about the process.
What Bolsonaro did or did not do is now the subject of the investigation.
More than half a million corona deaths
A parliamentary committee of inquiry into the affair is already underway.
There is also a possible impeachment proceedings against Bolsonaro in the room.
However, this would have to be initiated by the President of the Chamber of Deputies, who is considered an ally of Bolsonaro.
The government has recently been spreading different versions of the events.
Bolsonaro himself said he was unaware of any irregularities.
According to several senators close to the government, Bolsonaro is also said to have informed the then Minister of Health Eduardo Pazuello and the police about the allegations.
The vaccine manufacturer, in turn, announced that the regular price for a dose was between $ 15 and $ 20.
Brazil would not have paid more than other countries.
In Brazil, more than 520,000 people have died from or with Covid-19 so far.
Only the USA counts more victims.
18.7 million Brazilians have contracted the virus.
President Bolsonaro initially downplayed the dangers.
In the past few weeks there have been increasing protests against the government's corona policy.
fww / dpa / AFP