Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

"Guilty Of Nothing": Jair Bolsonaro Denies Brazil Senate Panel's Pandemic Charges

"Guilty Of Nothing": Jair Bolsonaro Denies Brazil Senate Panel's Pandemic Charges

The 66-year-old leader quickly rejected the accusations, insisting he was "guilty of nothing." Brazil is one of the world's hardest hit countries with more than 600,000 deaths from the pandemic.

A Brazilian senate committee on Wednesday recommended that President Jair Bolsonaro face at least 10 charges, including crimes against humanity, over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 66-year-old leader quickly rejected the accusations, insisting he was "guilty of nothing." Brazil is one of the world's hardest hit countries with more than 600,000 deaths from the pandemic.

Following six months of hearings, with emotional witness statements and chilling revelations, the committee of inquiry issued a report that seeks charges against around 60 people, including four ministers and two ex-ministers. Three of Bolsonaro's sons are among the accused.

"We know that we are guilty of absolutely nothing. We know that we did the right thing from the first moment," said Bolsonaro, during a visit to northeastern Ceara state.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the seriousness of the virus, calling it a "little flu" at one point. He promoted treatments that scientists said were ineffective, railed against lockdown measures to slow the spread, and spoke out against vaccinations.

Next week lawmakers will vote whether to approve the 1,200 page report.

It describes Bolsonaro -- who faces a tricky election next year -- as "the main person responsible for the government's mistakes during the pandemic."

Besides crimes against humanity, the president is accused of "quackery," inciting crime and violation of health measures.

"The president has committed numerous crimes and will pay for it," said the committee's president Omar Aziz.

Symbolic charges


While the accusations are serious, the process may be just symbolic since Bolsonaro enjoys enough congressional support to avoid the opening of impeachment proceedings.

Likewise, Attorney General Augusto Aras, an ally appointed by Bolsonaro, could shield him from any indictment.

"This report will seem like a sentence, but the government is calm. You can criticize the president's attitude, but not incriminate him," Fernando Bezerra, head of the government's parliamentary bloc in the senate, told the Uol website.

The inquiry does not have the power to bring charges, but its revelations could have a political impact: the report will be sent to the public prosecutor, the federal court of accounts, and perhaps the International Criminal Court in the Hague, where other complaints against Bolsonaro have already been lodged.

It is yet another headache for the president, whose popularity has plummeted to an all-time low and who trails leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in polls ahead of next year's vote.

The report says that the committee has "gathered evidence that the federal government ... acted slowly in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, deliberately exposing the population to a real risk of mass infection."

It says Bolsonaro's crimes were "deliberate" and accuses his government of refusing to take necessary precautions to prevent the virus's spread, instead favoring a "high-risk" strategy of aiming for herd immunity among the population.

Harrowing testimony


After hearing testimony from several ministers, government officials, and business and hospital managers, the investigation ended with harrowing testimony on Monday from a nurse in the Amazon city of Manaus who saw dozens of patients dying and had to take care of her sister's four children after she also succumbed to the virus.

The committee investigated the government over a crippling lack of oxygen in Manaus during the worst moments of the pandemic, and also delays in buying vaccines, Bolsonaro's anti-lockdown speeches, and his original belittling of the virus.

Senators subsequently discovered irregularities in the acquisition of vaccines, something that generated strong suspicions of corruption.

"We deserve an apology from the highest authority in the state," Marcio Antonio Silva, a taxi driver who lost his 25-year-old son to Covid, told the panel, holding back tears.

Antonio Carlos Costa, president of the Rio de Paz NGO, blasted Bolsonaro's lack of remorse.

"We've never seen him shed tears of compassion, nor express his condolences for the Brazilian people in mourning," he said.

Flavio Bolsonaro, a lawmaker who is the president's son and among the accused, said the report was "an instrument of revenge against Bolsonaro and his family."

"It's clear, neither my brothers, nor I, and even less so the president, have committed any crimes."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×