After federal police recommend charges…
On Tuesday morning, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president, was indicted for allegedly falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination status in a government database. Bolsonaro's supporters claim that his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is a well-known fact in Brazil, but they believe that his critics want to indict him nontheless.
According to Brazilian media reports, Bolsonaro's ex-aide-de-camp claims he gave the order to fake vaccination cards for himself and his daughter. (RELATED: Feds Seize Passport Of Fmr. President)
The Independent reports on Bolsonaro's first indictment. The former president is under investigation in at least two other cases since losing reelection:
This indictment comes after a long investigation by federal police into whether Mr Bolsonaro falsified his Covid-19 vaccine card to get around US requirements. Mauro Cid, former aide to Mr Bolsonaro, was also indicted as part of this investigation after his arrest last year, according to Reuters.
Last year, Mr Bolsonaro denied any allegations that he falsified the data and said he never claimed to be vaccinated.
A legal analyst told the AP that Mr Bolsonaro, if convicted of falsifying health data, could spend anywhere from two to twelve years behind bars. Meanwhile, the criminal association charge carries a four-year sentence, the analyst said.
The former president has long rejected the Covid-19 vaccine, instead advocating for the use of hydroxychloroquine, a drug also touted by Donald Trump. However, hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, is not effective against Covid-19.
In 2020, Pfizer offered to sell Brazil its FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine but Bolsonaro ignored their solicitation. Instead, he purchased vaccines from Bharat Biotech, an Indian multinational biotechnology company. However, allegations emerged that he turned a blind eye to possible corruption present in that agreement, which created a scandal in BrasÃlia. One health ministry official claimed to being pressured to approve the 2021 agreement despite noticing irregularities in invoices.
Bolsonaro rejects all allegations of misconduct.
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