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Covid hearings suspended after whip accusation

government whip house hearings
Congressman Ricardo Barros. Photo: Jefferson Rudy/SF/CC-BY 4.0

During his deposition before the Senate’s Covid hearings committee, Congressman Ricardo Barros said the committee’s investigation into the Jair Bolsonaro administration’s pandemic response is scaring off vaccine producers.

Mr. Barros, who serves as House whip for the government, said the investigation is making it harder for Brazil to acquire vaccines. 

His testimony caused discomfort during the session, and chairman Omar Aziz suspended it, with a possible resumption this afternoon.