Courts block government attempts to reduce isolation measures

A Rio de Janeiro state court blocked the federal government’s ad campaign “Brazil Cannot Stop,” a push to influence people to resume their professional activities.

Judge Laura Bastos Carvalho considered the campaign detrimental to public health — adding that it could lead to a collapse of the country’s healthcare system. She banned any Covid-19-related ads not based on scientific evidence, establishing a BRL 100,000 fine if the government continues to run the ad.

The judge, however, did not accept prosecutors’ requests to ban the ad from social media — and force tech companies like Twitter and Facebook to strike it down. The judge also did not side with the prosecutors’ demand for the government to publish a retraction.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Bar Association has issued a complaint to the Federal Accounts Court against President Jair Bolsonaro and his Press Secretary, Fábio Wajngarten — claiming the ad, which cost the government BRL 4.8 million, did not respect public bidding rules.

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