Bolsonaro says, he wants his decision power back: “Enough of this whining during the pandemic”
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro today demanded that the power to lead policies related to the pandemic in the country be “restored” to him, referring to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) decision allowing governors and mayors to implement social isolation measures in their respective regions.
The decision, issued in April 2020, did not limit the federal government’s actions or exempt it from responsibility in conducting public policies to fight the pandemic.
Disturbed, the president said that the Three Powers of the Republic need to know “the limits” and that the “whining” during the pandemic must stop.
“You didn’t stay home, you didn’t cower,” said the president, addressing rural workers during a ceremony to inaugurate a stretch of the North-South railroad, in Goiás.
“We have to face our problems. Enough whining. How long are you going to cry for? We have to face our problems,” he said, at a time when Brazil is registering daily records of Covid-19 deaths.
The president argued that economic activity must not stop otherwise Brazil could suffer social chaos. “Where will Brazil go if we stop? The bible itself says ‘fear not’. We will all suffer if we don’t adopt the right measures and with courage,” he stressed.
In another part of the speech, he argued that isolation should be exclusively for the elderly and people with other diseases, as a means of ensuring protection to the most vulnerable.
“Only with our economy operating and not everyone staying at home, as some governors want, can we dream of better days. Without money, without jobs, we are condemned to poverty, failure, death, riots and looting,” he said. “Don’t accuse me of crowding, there is crowding everywhere. We will fight the virus, but not in an ignorant, stupid, suicidal way.”
The president argued that his authority was “neutered” by the STF during the pandemic and called on governors and mayors not to “close everything.”
Bolsonaro’s statement comes at a time when governors have been pressing the federal government for actions to mitigate the strain of the pandemic on health services.
“I was elected to lead Brazil, I hope that this power is restored to me. I am a democrat, decisions made against me are criticized, and I don’t react,” he argued. “The Three Powers are important, more and more we need to know our limits. For me to cross the Three Powers Square and head to the Legislative or Judiciary, in between there is the people. People I have sworn absolute loyalty to, and Brazil must be led.”
Vaccines
The president guaranteed that Brazil is committed to buy covid-19 vaccines and is currently among the countries that, in absolute numbers, have immunized the most of its population – there are now 7.3 million people immunized.
In proportional terms, 3.47% of the population has been vaccinated so far, according to a survey by media outlets based on data from state health secretariats. According to Bolsonaro, the purchase of vaccines depends on guaranteed resources through the operation of the economy.
“Why don’t you hear about vaccines in Africa or in countries here in South America? Because there is no money, there is no economy,” he said, guaranteeing that he has never refrained from seeking immunizers.
Still according to the president, the country will be supplied 20 million vaccine doses this month and another 40 million in April.
Source: Valor/Globo
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