Bolsonaro's social networks, at risk?
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(CNN) -
The questioned president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, called the president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro an "idiot" in a televised speech on Tuesday, in reference to the unfounded claims of the Brazilian leader that suggest that vaccines against the covid- 19 could increase the risk of AIDS.
"We must promote vaccination, vaccination, vaccination," Maduro said on state television, adding: "The idiot of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. Idiot! Clown. Yesterday he said a typical stupidity of someone from the right wing discredited, no loved by his people. Who spends his time messing with Venezuela. "
He went on to tell the public that during a live broadcast: Bolsonaro has gone mad to say that the coronavirus vaccine, which is a product of world science, is protecting and saving lives ... that it causes AIDS. "
Facebook removed a video from Bolsonaro's weekly live broadcast in which he unsubstantiated suggesting that covid-19 vaccines could increase the risk of HIV infection on Sunday, a Facebook spokesperson in Brazil told CNN.
In the broadcast, aired last Thursday, Bolsonaro cited a bogus story claiming that UK government studies suggest that fully vaccinated people were developing AIDS "at a faster rate than anticipated."
Specialists told CNN that there are no such studies.
According to experts, vaccines against covid-19 are highly effective and the possibility of an adverse reaction is rare.
Facebook removes controversial video of Bolsonaro 1:47
"Our policies do not allow allegations that COVID-19 vaccines kill or may cause serious harm to people," the Facebook spokesperson said.
Maduro's comments came on the same day that former US President Donald Trump endorsed Bolsonaro.
In a statement shared by his chief spokesman, Trump said: “President Jair Bolsonaro and I have become great friends in recent years.
He fights hard and loves the people of Brazil, just like I do for the people of the United States. "
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Trump added that Brazil is "lucky to have a man like Jair Bolsonaro working for them" and called him a "great president" who "will never let the people of his great country down."
On Wednesday, in an on-camera interview with TV Jovem Pan News, Bolsonaro said: "Talking about vaccines has become a crime now, they block you, they remove your page, they do not allow you to suspect vaccines."
Jair Bolsonaro Nicolás Maduro