Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro should be charged with ‘crimes against humanity’, inquiry finds

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro should be charged with “crimes against humanity” for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new inquiry has found.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro should be charged with “crimes against humanity” for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new inquiry has found. Picture: Michael Dantas/AFP

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro should be charged with “crimes against humanity” for his bungled handling of his nation’s Covid-19 response, a Brazilian Senate report has recommended.

According to the congressional inquiry, Mr Bolsonaro – who consistently downplayed the threat of the “little flu”, touted misinformation and unproven treatments and ignored international health guidelines on public activity and mask use – allegedly contributed to Brazil having the world’s second-highest coronavirus death toll.

More than 600,000 Brazilians have died from Covid-19, including a disproportionate number of indigenous citizens, leading to initial allegations against Mr Bolsonaro (that have since been removed) of murder and genocide of Brazil’s indigenous population.

After six months of investigating the Brazilian government’s pandemic management, in a nearly 1200 page report Senator Renan Calheiros called for the President’s indictment on charges ranging from inciting crime and violation of health measures and the misuse of public funds to “quackery” and crimes against humanity.

Charges are also being sought against around 60 others, including two former ministers, four current ministers and three of the President’s sons.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Picture: Evaristo Sa/AFP

“Jair Bolsonaro strongly collaborated for Covid-19’s spread in Brazilian territory and, as such, showed himself to be the main person responsible for the errors committed by the federal government during the pandemic,” the report states.

“[We must] never forget what happened in this country or the innocent people who lost their lives as a result of the government’s reckless handling of the pandemic.”

The report goes on to say had the President not undermined vaccination and other containment measures, “transmission rates could have been reduced by about 40 per cent, which means 120,000 lives could have been saved by the end of March 2021”.

And if he hadn’t delayed the purchase of vaccines with companies such as Pfizer, a decision deemed “unjustifiable and intentional” by the report, “Brazil could have been the first country in the world to start vaccination, together with the UK … this mistaken strategy cost the country dearly”.

An aerial view of coffins being buried in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, last year. Picture: Michael Dantas/AFP

The inquiry’s president, Senator Omar Aziz, told a hearing before the document’s official presentation that Mr Bolsonaro “committed many crimes and he will pay for them”. Inquiry vice president, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, told reporters that “the report assigns more than 100 years in prison to the president of the republic”.

Mr Bolsonaro has hit back at the report, claiming it had “produced nothing but hatred and resentment”.

“We know that we bear absolutely no guilt. We know we did the right thing from the very first moment,” he told a crowd at an event in the nation’s northeast.

While analysts have said it’s unclear if the President will be charged – or if there are even legal grounds to do so – the report will likely damage his push for re-election next year.

“The major impact of the investigation is political because it generated tons of news that certainly will be used by campaign strategists next year,” director of strategy at political consulting firm Arko Advice, Thiago de Aragao, said.

Politicians will vote whether to approve the report next week.