Bolsonaro on Pandemic: I Did Not Reject My Responsibility

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Thursday, September 24th, President Jair Bolsonaro stated that he did not reject his responsibility in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. In an event at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Highway Police (PRF) headquarters, Bolsonaro also said that the use of chloroquine against the novel coronavirus “has been working well,” although the drug has no proven efficacy against the disease.

“Unfortunately we had this pandemic, which I think should be given another name in the future, which has negatively influenced economic policy worldwide,” he commented. “In Brazil, the handling of the pandemic fell exclusively to governors and mayors by decision of the Supreme Court. But, from the first moment, I didn’t reject my responsibility”, he declared.

The STF decision has been mentioned by the President in recent addresses and was even mentioned in his speech to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly this week. The Court’s decision ensured autonomy for states and municipalities, but did not remove the federal government’s responsibility for measures to fight the pandemic.

Bolsonaro once again promoted hydroxychloroquine with the proviso that only doctors can recommend the drug. “We worked hard so that doctors would be free over time to provide what is best for the population. And we have evidence that this has been working.”

Federal Highway Police

On Thursday, Bolsonaro attended the handover of new vehicles and weapons to the Federal Highway Police, in addition to the inauguration of facilities at the force’s headquarters in Rio. The Chief Executive praised the agency’s performance and stated that the discussion with the government’s economic area is “quite advanced” for the opening of some two thousand new positions in the corporation until early 2021. According to him, the PRF’s work has been enhanced in his government “because the political criteria is no longer in place”.

The event was attended by the President, among other officials, the acting Rio State Governor, Cláudio Castro, the National Secretary of Public Safety of the Ministry of Justice, Carlos Paim, as well as PRF leaders and state and federal deputies.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo

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