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Portsmouth BMJ: first published as 10.1136/bmj.n1181 on 7 May 2021. Downloaded from Cite this as: BMJ 2021;373:n1181 Covid-19: Investigation probes Bolsonaro’s role in ’s failed http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1181 pandemic response Published: 7 May 2021 Luke Taylor A parliamentary investigation into the actions of Helena Nader, a biomedical scientist at the Federal President and his former ministers is University of São Paulo, said, “I never thought our under way in Brazil to establish who was responsible country would be able to handle this in such a bad for the country’s failed response to the pandemic. way. It’s awful, and it’s going to affect not only us but the whole world.” Brazil has recorded more than 414 000 covid-19 deaths—12.3% of the world’s total despite being home The probe is not the first public investigation into the to only 2.7% of the global population. Brazilian government’s response to the pandemic. In June last year unions and groups representing more The probe in the country’s senate will attempt to than a million medical professionals asked the establish who took decisions on issues such as the International Criminal Court to investigate Bolsonaro distribution of medical supplies and vaccines and for crimes against humanity as he responded to the why. It could lead to the of Bolsonaro, pandemic with “contempt, neglect, and denial.”5 whom many health experts blame for the country’s public health catastrophe. And in January this year the Supreme Court opened an investigation into possible negligence by former Former health minister made health minister , after oxygen the first high profile testimony to the committee on supplies were exhausted in the Amazonian city of 5 May when he spoke about the health ministry’s , causing patients with covid-19 to suffocate.6 promotion and supply of unproved covid-19 cures. Mandetta was health minister until Bolsonaro sacked Though the current investigation is likely to damage him in April last year for refusing to promote the Bolsonaro’s prospect of re-election in 2022, it is antimalarial chloroquine as a covid-19 treatment. unlikely to lead to his removal from office, say experts. Mandetta told the committee that he had “warned

Bolsonaro systematically of the consequences of not “Despite the importance of the commission for http://www.bmj.com/ adopting the recommendations of science to fight political accountability … I find it difficult to see an covid-19.”1 impeachment process being opened, because it depends on the disposition of the president of the He added, “The government was aware that it was Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, who is an ally of prescribing chloroquine without any scientific the president,” Santana said. evidence.” Pazuello, who was health minister when Manaus’s Mandetta is one of three former health ministers who

hospitals collapsed, was the latest figure due to testify on 26 September 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. will be questioned in the 90 day probe, which began on 5 May but did not attend as he said he had been on 27 April. in contact with two army colonels who tested positive The 11 senators appointed to oversee the investigation for the virus. His testimony has been rescheduled for will look at alleged negligence on issues ranging from 19 May. vaccines to lockdowns but will probably focus on the president’s inaction in the face of the pandemic and Correction: On 10 May 2021 we corrected the date of the impending how medical resources such as covid-19 tests and election (2022, not 2021). ventilators were distributed to different states and municipalities, said Luciana Santana, a political 1 https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-covid-19-inquiry-told-bol- science professor at the Federal University of sonaros-blind-faith-chloroquine-2021-05-04. 2 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/13/world/americas/virus-brazil-bol- who focuses on parliamentary investigations. sonaro-chloroquine.html. “The commission appears to be ready for a serious 3 https://g1.globo.com/politica/blog/octavio-guedes/post/2021/04/27/cpi- probe into the coronavirus response in Brazil,” she da-covid-governo-bolsonaro-recusou-11-vezes-ofertas-para-compras-de- vacina.ghtml. said. 4 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56479614. The investigation had been blocked by Bolsonaro’s 5 https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-up- allies in the senate but was later pushed through by dates/2020/07/27/895940087/brazils-bolsonaro-is-accused-of-crime- against-humanity-over-coronavirus-neglect?t=1620226367948. the Supreme Court. 6 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazil-pazuello- Bolsonaro’s popularity could be hurt by the idUSKBN29V01D. investigation, as it will highlight how he promoted unproved cures, declined offers of vaccines from drug This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ's website companies, and refused to implement lockdowns, terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise which critics say has exacerbated and prolonged determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, 2 -4 non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all Brazil’s suffering. copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

the bmj | BMJ 2021;373:n1181 | doi: 10.1136/bmj.n1181 1